Bengaluru: Professional and amateur astronomers alike in North America’s Canada, the US, and Mexico are gearing up to witness the rare and beautiful phenomenon of a total solar eclipse on 8 April.
While the total eclipse will be visible only in North America, a partial eclipse, where the Moon covers a part of the Sun, will still be visible in parts of South America and in the Caribbean islands. It will not be visible anywhere in India or Asia.
The totality begins at 10.08 pm Indian standard time (16.38 UTC) on 8 April and ends at 1.25 am IST on 9 April (20.52 UTC).
ThePrint brings you details about how and where you can watch the eclipse.
What is a total solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the disc of the Moon comes in between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out the Sun from view entirely. While partial solar eclipses occur more frequently, total solar eclipses are rarer.
They are also more intense with sudden and drastic changes such as a steep drop in both brightness and temperature, temporarily, as the Moon blocks out the full disc of the Sun.
The shadow of the Moon on the Earth has an inner and outer part. The outer, lighter shadow is called the penumbra and is visible during a partial eclipse. The inner, complete darkness of a shadow is called the umbra, which will turn day to night, making visible bright planets in the daytime sky.
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Places were total solar eclipse will be visible
The 8 April total solar eclipse is visible only over the continent of North America, and parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The US will have the clearest view of the totality, with parts of Canada and Mexico also being able to sight the phenomenon.
Partial eclipse will be visible over the northern parts of South America, the Caribbean islands, and the eastern parts of the UK.
The eclipse will not be visible in any other part of the world, including the Indian subcontinent.
Some American airlines have also advertised flights to see the eclipse. Reports indicate that both flights during the time, and hotels and Airbnbs across the path of totality in the US, had been booked out at least a month in advance.
What can be seen during eclipse
A total solar eclipse is very different from a partial solar eclipse or lunar eclipses. When the Sun disappears during the middle of the day, there are rapid changes in lighting and temperature. There will be a sudden drop in both, as if a switch was turned off.
When the Moon blocks the Sun fully, the outer atmosphere of the Sun becomes visible, lit up by the Sun itself. This is called the corona of the Sun, and will be visible like a halo around the Moon’s outline.
Two planets, Venus and Jupiter, should be visible during the eclipse. There is a possibility of also sighting the Comet Pons/Brooks, commonly known as the Devil’s Comet.
During totality, horizon all across will appear as it does just after sunset, with a faint evening glow. This is called the 360 degrees sunset by amateur astronomers, and makes for a good photo opportunity. The general ambient lighting during a total solar eclipse is also quite alluring to photographers because of its rarity.
Solar missions are also expected to make full use of the eclipse. ISRO’s Aditya-L1, which studies the corona of the Sun, will make use of its multiple devices to observe the Sun, as will the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter mission.
Timings of the eclipse
The eclipse begins first with the Moon partially blocking out the Sun as it moves across it.
Partial eclipse begins: 15:42 UTC (9.12 pm IST, April 8)
Total eclipse begins: 16:38 UTC (10.08 pm IST, April 8)
Greatest eclipse (where axis of the Moon’s shadow passes through Earth’s center or when Earth, Moon, and Sun are aligned exactly in a line): 18:17 UTC (11.47 pm IST, April 8)
Total eclipse ends: 19:55 UTC (1.25am IST, April 9)
Partial eclipse ends: 20:52 UTC (2.22 am IST, April 9)
How to see eclipse
Those observing the eclipse directly in the path of totality would require safety equipment to look at directly at the Sun because despite the eclipse, the UV rays have an extremely strong potential to burn the human eye’s retina. Safety goggles are available in stores and online, and should meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015.
The eclipse can also be seen through the traditional pinhole camera method, or just by poking a hole in a sheet of paper and observing the sunlight falling through it on a surface.
The shadows on the ground under trees and leaves can also show the eclipse, with the shadows changing shape according to the Sun’s brightness.
For those not in the path of totality, there are live streams online from multiple agencies, including NASA.
The only thing people are advised to not do during a solar eclipse is to look at the Sun directly with naked eyes. Otherwise, eclipses do not have any effect on our daily lives and routines. It is safe to cook, eat, sleep, shower, travel, shop, or do any other regular activity during an eclipse. There is also no need to shower afterward, as many superstitions in India claim.
When is the next eclipse?
The next total solar eclipse will occur on 12 August 2026, over parts of Greenland and Europe. This will be followed by another total solar eclipse a year later, on 2 August 2027 over parts of the Middle East and North Africa. The one after that will be on 22 July 2028 over Northern Australia.
The next annular eclipse, where the Moon blocks out all but an outer ring of the Sun, will occur on 2 October this year over the Southern tip of South America, Patagonia, and the Southern Ocean.
The next partial solar eclipse will occur on 29 March 2025 over northeastern parts of Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, and northern Russia. Another one will occur over Antarctica on 21 September, 2025.
The next partial lunar eclipse will occur on the night of 17 September this year over North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and west Asia, including the left half of India. An almost total lunar eclipse will be observed on 17 October over the western parts of Asia, Australia, Alaska, and North America.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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