By The Way - Events in January

FIRST SOLAR ECLIPSE OF THE NEW DECADE 

Stargazers mark this down in your diary. Head to the Science Centre on 15 January and you will catch a partial solar eclipse between 3.30pm to 5.30pm, peaking at about 4.20pm. 

This is the first solar eclipse of the new decade and the longest annular solar eclipse of the Second Millenium. Organised and hosted by the Science Centre Singapore and TASOS (The Astronomical Society of Singapore) this event will be visible from within a 300-km-wide track that traverses half the Earth. This day will also mark the closing of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009. IYA 2009 celebrates the 400th year anniversary of Galileo’s first public demonstration of his telescope, while January 2010 is the 400th year anniversary of his discovery of Jupiter’s four biggest moons.

Don't worry about eye protection, the Science Centre will be giving away 3,000 free solar glasses to view the solar eclipse with. Visitors will also get to participate in onsite telescope viewing and DIY astronomy projects for kids and families such as to make one’s own pinhole eclipse viewer.

When: 15 January, 3.30pm to 5pm

Where: Observatory Omni Theatre at the Science Centre Singapore 

DO YOU REMEMBER THESE?

Love vintage bags? Then if you’re in the vicinity, make a point to pop into the National Museum of Singapore to catch the quirky little exhibition called “The Bag: Carrier bags in Singapore from the 1950s to the 1980s’. It’s not extensive but definitely a fun walk down memory lane….espeically when you realise you can recognise carrier bags you used to heave around, now relegated to a museum exhibit! Remember the green and white Yaohan plastic bags? And the Bata paper bag? They’re there! – along with 60 other brown paper bags with the red Chinese prints and red and white twine handles. And who’d imagine there’s a story behind it? So ‘Auntie’, so campy and just plain fun. I visited and though it took all of 15 minutes to see, I just loved it. It’s a “gotta go”. Admission is free.

When: Now until 18 April
Where: National Museum of Singapore

A KNOCK OUT EVENT

Not sure what boys love about watching one boy beat the each other up but the sport obviously sells and has a large fan base. Pro boxing returns to Singapore on 16 January 2010 as TOP RATED BOXING presents “Professional Championship Boxing – A New Beginning”, the best fight card in the history of Singapore boxing and combat sport.

Topping the bill is a World Boxing Association Pan Asian (PABA) Championship Title fight, supported by a five fight under card, which will feature Singapore’s only professional boxer Mohd Nor Rizan plus boxers from Japan, Korea, China, Thailand and the Philippines.

Headlining the international card will be world #6, Leon “Hurry Up” Moore, (25-2, 22 KOs). Leon is a former amateur champion and current four-belt holder - National, Latin America, North America and Caribbean Champion at Bantamweight. He challenges the #1 ranked Asian fighter Marangin “Dinamita” Marbun (19–6–1, 7 KOs) from Indonesia for the vacant Super Bantamweight Title.

When: Saturday, January 16 at 6:00pm to 10:30pm
Where: Suntec, Singapore. Level 6.
Tickets: www.sisitic.com.sg