The first annular solar eclipse will occur this year over a large area of the Pacific Ocean. People residing in countries to the east of the International Date Line such as the Hawaiian and Cook Islands witnessed the eclipse yesterday, while places to the west of the International Date Line like Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand will observe the annular eclipse of the sun today.
The Astronomical Society in Jeddah explained that a solar eclipse happens whenever the new moon passes either partially or totally in front of the sun, while the annular eclipse and total eclipse occur when the moon passes directly in front of the sun.
When the annular eclipse occurs, the moon is too far away in its orbit (lunar apogee) to cover the sun completely, causing the sun to appear as a very bright ring (annulus) surrounding the dark disk of the moon. It is a rare form of solar eclipse.
The moon will reach its apogee on May 13 at 04:32 p.m. Makkah time, about three days and a half past the new moon, however the annular solar eclipse will not be viewable for residents in the Kingdom and the Arab region.
The path of the annular solar eclipse begins today at sunrise in Western Australia at 01:33 a.m. Makkah time, and ends at sunset some three hours and 40 minutes later over the Pacific Ocean at 05:15 a.m. Makkah time.
The greatest eclipse happens midway around 03:25 a.m. just to the west of the International Date Line, within a maximum of 6 minutes 3 seconds. The annular eclipse path is nearly 13,300 kilometers long but its varying width only extends from 171 to 225 km wide.
Annularity is fairly short-lived at any one spot, lasting about four minutes near the beginning and end of the eclipse path. The eclipse’s path will cross over 0.50 of the Earth’s surface.
1st annular solar eclipse of the year
1st annular solar eclipse of the year
Saudi Arabia announces new financial support to the Yemeni government
RIYADH: Saudi Ambassador to Yemen and Supervisor of the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber announced that the Kingdom, under the directives of its leadership, has provided new support to the Yemeni government's budget, aimed at paying the salaries of state employees in all sectors.
In a post on X, Al-Jaber stated that this support complements a package of development projects and initiatives, amounting to SR1.9 billion, announced on Wednesday. The package includes provision of necessary petroleum derivatives to operate power plants, which will contribute to improving the living standards of people in Yemen and alleviating daily burdens on them.
Al-Jaber’s post emphasized, in particular, that all salaries of military and security forces linked to the the higher military committee linked to the Saudi led Coalition will be paid as of Sunday.
The post is likely relate to Several Media reports which have suggested that disgraced former Southern Transitional Council (STC) chief Aidaroos Al Zubaidi — who has now fled Yemen — was taking advantage of military personnel and withholding salaries as means of pressure. Al-Zubaidi is wanted by the Yemeni government for acts of high treason and corruption.
The ambassador emphasized that these steps come within the framework of supporting the Yemeni government's efforts to implement the economic reform program, which aims to achieve financial and economic stability and enhance the state's ability to meet its basic obligations.
