The hybrid solar eclipse festival in Biak is an activity to make Sail Cenderawasih 2023 successful
Biak, Papua (ANTARA) - As many as 100 astronomers from various countries and regions in Indonesia will witness the Hybrid Solar Eclipse Festival on April 17-20, 2023, in Biak Numfor District, Papua.

This event is a rare natural phenomenon in the world.

"The hybrid solar eclipse festival in Biak is an activity to make Sail Cenderawasih 2023 successful," Head of the Biak Numfor Tourism Office Onny Dangeubun stated here on Friday.

"To be able to see the eclipse directly, we also provide three thousand special glasses to see the eclipse," he further noted.

Dangeubun said that in hybrid solar eclipse, two different types of eclipses occur sequentially in the same phenomenon.

He noted that the hybrid solar eclipse would be clearly visible in the districts of Biak Numfor and Kisar Island in Maluku.

He said that it is a rare type of solar eclipse that changes from annular to total and vice versa in a short period to time.

The solar eclipse will occur at 12:20 Eastern Indonesian Time (WIT) or 10:20 Western Indonesian Time (WIB) and its peak will occur at 13:57 WIT or 11:57 WIB.

"Papua will be the only area in Indonesia that will be traversed by the hybrid solar eclipse on April 20, 2023," he stated.

Hybrid solar eclipses can be witnessed in several remote areas, such as Kisar Island, Maopora Island, Damar Island, Watubela Island, Antalisa (Fakfak) Village, Randepandai, Roswar, Num Island, Wooi, Serui, and Biak Kota.

“It is hoped that the hybrid solar eclipse festival in Biak will get a lot of tourist visits to see the rare natural phenomenon directly from Biak Island," Dangeubun remarked.

The series of activities of the hybrid solar eclipse festival is part of the STC 2023 activities lasting three days in Nirmala Beach, Biak Mina Jaya. The activity will commence with an observation of the night sky.

Other activities lined up are science culture bridge seminars, astronomers' meetings, junior high school/high school eclipse poster design competitions, culinary delights, science education exhibitions, music corners, and watching the hybrid solar eclipse live on Biak Island.

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Translator: Muhsidin, Katriana
Editor: Sri Haryati
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