PM Lee's call for eclipse photos draws humorous responses

SINGAPORE — He didn’t get a good shot of the solar eclipse that captivated crowds across Singapore and parts of Asia this morning. But that did not stop Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from joining in the fun.

He changed the settings on his Facebook page and urged netizens to share their pictures of the solar eclipse on his page. Hundreds of Facebook users took the chance to show off their photography skills — as well as wit and humour.

“Dear PM, sadly I did not catch the eclipse, but I managed to eat it this morning,” said Facebook user Lian Wei, who posted a photo of all six flavours of the Eclipse-brand breath mints.

Another Singaporean posted a poster from the movie The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, while Facebook user Eclipse Knight posted an image of Batman silhouetted against an eclipse of the sun.

Mr Ho Kian Wan struck a patriotic note amid the online frenzy over the solar eclipse by posting a cropped photo of the Singapore flag, showing the crescent moon and five stars, “This one was taken at 8.13am. Beautiful,” he wrote.

As of 4.30pm, Mr Lee’s Facebook appeal garnered some 880 replies — most of which were photos taken by netizens from their balconies, schools, workplaces and parks. Some explained the innovative ways they used to watch the eclipse, especially when it got too bright for them.

Sending in a photo of multiple crescent-shaped casts of light splayed against a wall, Facebook user Thomas Lee said: “Caught this on the wall of my balcony. Sun rays passed through the gaps between the leaves which served as pinholes.”

Facebook user Ivy GS used the reflection off her children’s preschool windows to avoid the direct glare and catch the eclipse.

Over 3,000 people turned up at the Singapore Science Centre this morning to watch the eclipse through telescopes specially fitted with sun filters.

The strong interest in the event had some people concerned. Facebook user Nicolas Vanhove wrote on the PM’s Facebook page that there should have been more communication about the impending solar eclipse in Singapore, so that more will wear the right equipment and not just use sunglasses to try to witness the eclipse.