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Today in History: Ghana experiences total solar eclipse

On March 29, 2006, Ghana and other countries across the globe experienced a total solar eclipse which was one of the most popular astronomical events in the country for decades.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring the image of the sun for a viewer on earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon’s apparent diameter is larger than the sun’s, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness.

The 2006 total solar eclipse was the second incident visible in Africa in just six months and its visibility was across a narrow corridor which traversed half of the earth.

The path of totality of the Moon’s shadow began at sunrise in Brazil and extended across the Atlantic to Africa, traveling across Ghana, the southeastern tip of Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Libya, and a small corner of northwest Egypt, from there across the Mediterranean Sea to Greece (Kastellórizo) and Turkey, then across the Black Sea via Georgia, Russia, and Kazakhstan to Western Mongolia, where it ended at sunset.

The phenomenon lasted a duration of 247 seconds (4 minutes 7 seconds) and its maximum width band covered an area of 114 miles.

Ahead of the day, a National Planning Committee had sensitized citizens on the occurrence and the need to avoid looking at it with the naked eye as it could cause irreparable eye damage.

The trend on the day was the popular eclipse goggles which were fitted with x-ray films and worn by millions of Ghanaians and foreigners who had traveled into the country to observe the occurrence.

Then-President John Agyekum Kufuor who was barely nine years old when the last total eclipse occurred in 1947, described the 2006 experience as a “great” one.

“Today, close to 60 years later, it is happening. It shows the beauty and wonders of nature;” he said.

Whiles the total eclipse lasted a little over 4 minutes across Ghana, the journey of the moon across the face of the sun begun around 0800 hours and lasted until about 1000 hours.

Scientists have predicted that the next total eclipse in Ghana will be witnessed in the next 14,276 days on Friday, April 30, 2060, which is about 39 years from now.

Source:sn24new

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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