New Zealand will be treated to a rare sight on Monday morning as the moon appears to take a bite out of the rising sun - the first solar eclipse visible on our shores in more than a decade.
On September 22, a rare partial solar eclipse will be visible at dawn across the country.
Stardome Observatory said the sun will rise while the eclipse was already in progress.
Astronomer Josh Aoraki said the partial solar eclipse was so special because just a few countries, including a few Pacific nations, will be able to see it.
"We haven't seen an eclipse of this magnitude here since 2012, so you won't want to miss it."
The sun will appear at dawn as a crescent when it rises, with the moon slowly moving across the sun and blocking more of its light over the next hour.
A clear and view of the eastern horizon at 7am will be the best time to see the eclipse, Aoraki said.
"(The) Eclipse ends just after 8am when the moon will slip clear of the sun's disc, ending the eclipse."
The solar eclipse follows a total lunar eclipse earlier this month, when New Zealanders saw the moon slip into Earth's shadow and turn a deep red hue.
Together, the two eclipses mark one of the busiest months for celestial events in recent years.
The amount of sun covered at the peak of Monday's eclipse will vary across the country, from around 60% in Auckland to more than 70% in the lower South Island.
In contrast to the total lunar eclipse earlier this month, experts stressed solar eclipses could be dangerous to watch without proper precautions.
"It's never safe to look directly at the sun without proper protection. You'll need certified solar viewing glasses. Regular sunglasses are not safe for solar viewing," Stardome said.
Stardome is holding a free viewing party atop Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill between 6am and 8am if weather allows.
How much of the sun will be covered for different regions
60% in Auckland
61% in Tauranga
62% in Gisborne
63% in New Plymouth
66% in Wellington
68% in Greymouth
69% in Christchurch
71% in Queenstown and Dunedin
72% in Invercargill
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Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? π»π¨π
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
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37.1% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
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62.9% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, weβre a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature β and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
π Riddle me this, legends! π
He/She who makes it, sells it.
He/She who buys it, doesn't use it.
The user doesn't know they are using it.
What is it?
(Shezz from NgΔruawΔhia kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Shezz!)
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