You can’t go outside during Nyepi in Bali, but you can enjoy the solar eclipse from your window: BMKG

As if a sign from the gods, a rare solar eclipse is set to unfold in Indonesia right on March 9, which happens to be Nyepi, the “Day of Silence” in Bali.

That’s going to make things extra dark for a bit, as during Nyepi, lights that can be seen from outside your house are not permitted. 

Though the eclipse coming to Indonesia on Wednesday is a total solar eclipse, it can only be observed as a partial solar eclipse from Bali—but that should still be pretty cool, as we can observe the moon cover a large chunk of the sun.

While it’s going to be totally tempting to wander into the street and try to get a good look at sun getting covered up*, Nyepi’s got a strict ‘do not leave your house’ policy, even for uncommon celestial events. 

That said, the effects of the eclipse will be visible from any window, says I Wayan Suardana, head of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Central Region III Denpasar.

“The whole of Bali can see the partial solar eclipse. And it’s special in Bali because it coincides with Hari Raya Nyepi,” BMKG analyst I Putu Dedy Pratama also told Tribun Bali on Sunday night. 

March 9 eclipse
Eclipse phases and times shown for Denpasar, Bali. Source: timeanddate.com

The eclipse is forecasted to last 2 hours 20 minutes 25.3 seconds, beginning at 7:22 am, reaching its peak at 8:27 am, and then ending at 9:42 am, according to Tribun Bali. 

 

*Please don’t look directly at the sun during the eclipse without at least industrial strength no.14 welder’s goggles unless you want to risk going permanently blind. 



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on