Solar eclipse dazzles Russia, China 日全食

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A shadow has swept across Russia delighting skywatchers who flocked to Siberia to see a rare total eclipse of the sun.

Reuters.

Thousands gathered in Novosibirsk in Siberia to see a rare solar eclipse. With eye protection and some looking through specially shielded telescopes, they waited until the moment the sun began to disappear in the middle of the day. A total solar eclipse like this happens when the moon moves between the sun and the earth, casting a giant shadow. These shots from NASA show the moment the sun was completely blocked out.

This eclipse started in Canada, before tracking across Greenland and then into Siberia before moving towards China. Eclipse is reviewed as dangerous omens by ancient Chinese astronomers and this one comes exactly a week before the Olympics open in Beijing. And in the Chinese Capital, hundreds gathered on the spot where the eclipse came to an end. It was also visible in London. There only 12% of the sun was blocked out, making eye protection extra important. Solar eclipse is as fascinating as they are rare. The next will occur in a year's time in parts of India and China.

Andrew Porter, Reuters.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. omen : n-count

If you say that something is an omen, you think it indicates what is likely to happen in the future and whether it will be good or bad.

文本参考中文翻译

数千人云集在新西伯利亚观看罕见的日全食。人民戴着眼罩，通过特制的防护望远镜，等待着观看太阳在中午开始消失的这一刻。当月亮转到太阳和地球之间，完全挡住了太阳的光芒，投下巨大的阴影时，日全食就会发生。这些由美国航空航天局提供的镜头记录了太阳被完全遮挡的一刻。

日全食从加拿大开始，然后进入格陵兰岛，再进入西伯利亚，最后向中国移动。古代中国的天文学家认为日食是危险的征兆，而这次的日全食正好距离北京奥运会还有一周的时间。在中国首都北京，几百人聚集在日食将要结束的地方。这次日食在伦敦也可以观测到，但是只有12%的阳光被挡住，形成日偏食，所以保护眼睛格外重要。由于非常罕见，日食非常壮观和迷人。下次日全食将会于明年发生在中国和印度境内。