Dismissing myths that triple eclipse was a harbinger of catastrophe, a top official of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium here today said such a celestial phenomenon was nothing new and had occurred on nearly 12 occasions in the recent decades.

"Three eclipses occurring continuously is not rare at all. In the last few years, there have been several examples of lunar eclipse occurring between two solar eclipses and vice versa. There is nothing unusual about it. It is not right to relate the two," planetarium joint director prof CS Shukre said.

He was addressing a press conference on the arrangements being made at the planetarium to view the triple eclipse, starting with the solar eclipse on July 22.

There were two triple eclipses in 1989 and one each in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009, but nothing happened said Dr BS Shylaja, senior scientific offier, Bangalore Association for Science Education at the planetarium.

"Pulling random statistics and connecting them to an event cannot support the catastrophe theory", he said. "The world witnessed a catostrophe when dinosaurs were wiped out from the world, was an eclipse occuring then?" he asked.

Triple eclipses occurred even before the human race began. "Catastrophes can occur anytime. Eclipses are no indicators", he said dismissing theories floated by some groups that sought to point out that World Wars and Kurukshetra battle in ancient mythology took place following a season of triple eclipses.

Giving details of the July 22 solar eclipse, Shukre said the total eclipse would be visible from some parts of the country. The path of totality passes through a belt over Surat, Indore, Bhopal, Patna, Varanasi and Arunachal Prdesh.

Partial solar eclispe will be visible from all over the country. The maximum duration of totality for Pacific Ocean, would be six minutes and 39 seconds, for China about six minutes, he said.

In Bangalore the eclipse would begin at 5.38 am (before sunrise), hence the rising sun itself would be eclipsed. The maximum eclipse would be at 6.21 am with 66% coverage. The eclipse would conclude at 7.17 am.

The planetarium this time would not be in a position to show the sunrise or the subsequent phase of eclipse directly (live) as the visibility to the horizon at sunrise is obstructed. Even before the sunrise from the planetarium premises is seen, the eclipse would have concluded, he said.

However, alternate arrangemetns like showing a computer simulation or a small movie was being planned.

Meanwhile, a clearer view can be expected in January 2010, when the next total solar eclipse takes place. It will be at noon with weather conditions being favourable. It will be annular eclipse visible from southern tip of Tamil Nadu and Kerala on January 15, he said.

Shukre said practices like not eating food during an eclipse or avoiding any activity was misplaced.