REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BENGKULU -- The process of a total solar eclipse (TSE) will start at 06:19:18 a.m. local time on March 9, 2016, in southern Bengkulu, Head of the Padang Panjang Geophysics Office Rahmat Triyono said.
The first contact of the solar eclipse would be visible in nearly every region in Bengkulu Province, except in Mukomuko District, he said here, recently.
"This is because at that time, the Sun has not rise yet in the district," he explained.
However, the solar eclipse will be visible in Mukomuko starting at 6:20 a.m, he said.
The peak of the total solar eclipse will be at 7:20 a.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (local time) and the process will end at 8:28 a.m.
The average eclipse duration in Bengkulu is two hours and eight minutes.
Bengkulu will have two TSE paths namely Mukomuko with a magnitude of 1.008 and Muara Aman in Lebong District, with a magnitude of 1.006.
The TSE duration in Mukomuko with be one minute and 43 seconds, while in Muara Aman one minute and 29.9 seconds.
A solar eclipse happens whenever the new moon passes in front of the sun, and the moon's shadow falls on our planet.
The best spots to watch this total solar eclipse from land next March are the various islands in Indonesia, which reside on the path of totality.
The Indonesian tourism ministry hopes that the spectacular natural phenomenon will attract many scientists and tourists to visit Indonesia.
The very rare total solar eclipse will be visible for around two to three minutes in 12 provinces: Bengkulu, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Jambi, Bangka Belitung, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, West Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi and North Maluku.
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