ALBAWABA - Hotels in New Zealand are getting booked out in expectation of a total solar eclipse occurring in two years, to be clearly seen from the island nation.
The specific city where the eclipse will be seen the best is Dunedin, the city and surrounding region is preparing for its first solar eclipse in a little more than 850 years.
The eclipse will be occurring at 4:17pm on the 22nd of July in 2028, the moon will pass in front of the sun and cast a 100km wide shadow on the earth, the center of which is Dunedin. The darkness will last for two minutes and 17 seconds.
One hotel, the Dunedin Leisure Lodge, was one of the first hotels booked out due to its ‘solar eclipse package’that included complimentary glasses to observe the eclipse safely.
“The last one visible from Dunedin was in 1163, which was before humans reached New Zealand.
“So we will be the first people in Dunedin ever to see a solar eclipse from this part of the world, which is quite exciting.”
“That three minutes of darkness, if it’s clear, will be absolutely memorable for anybody who sees it,” Dr Ian Griffin, an astronomer and director said.
Dr Ian Griffin further added that he bought his house there in 2013 expecting the eclipse, “I did buy my house all those years ago based on the fact that you could see the eclipse from it,” he said.
Dunedin is planning a night-sky festival beginning with Matariki, the indigenous New Zealand new year, and going through to the eclipse.
