Solar Eclipse January 26 2009

Tonight, on the night of Monday 26th January 2009, a solar eclipse will be observable in the southern hemisphere. This will be the first solar eclipse of 2009.

A solar eclipse is a phenomenal event in which the moon goes between our earth and the Sun, making the Sun look hidden. They occur when a new moon comes about, however, solar eclipses do not occur at every new moon, just a few each year.

In each solar eclipse, a shadow is formed over part of the earth the earth, with the strength varying by location. This shadow is divided into two parts, the penumbra, which is the weaker shadow, and the umbra, which is the strong and dark shadow.

Be on the lookout for the solar eclipse tonight, however, do not look directly at it with your naked eye as you can damage your eye.