Solar eclipses are among the most significant celestial events, possessing both scientific importance and profound cultural symbolism. For scientists, they offer rare opportunities to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, and test key theories like Einstein’s general relativity. However, culturally, eclipses are often seen as a sign of change or powerful spiritual omens.
This year, Earth is set to witness two solar eclipses. The first, a partial eclipse, occurred on March 29, and the second will take place on September 21. The upcoming event is said to be visually striking, although it is not visible from India. Here’s everything that you need to know about a solar eclipse.
A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow that partially or fully blocks sunlight in certain areas. These events happen at least twice a year when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align.
There are mainly two types of solar eclipses:
Partial Solar Eclipse
When the Moon covers only part of the Sun, observers outside the central path of the eclipse see the Sun in a crescent shape. This phenomenon is known as partial solar eclipse.
Total solar eclipse
When the Moon completely obscures the Sun’s face for a few moments, turning day into night and revealing the Sun’s corona, it is known as a total solar eclipse. Viewers must always use certified eclipse glasses or pinhole projectors to view the Sun safely, except during the brief totality phase of a total solar eclipse.
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The upcoming partial solar eclipse on September 21 will be visible from New Zealand, eastern Australia, parts of the Pacific Islands, and Antarctica.
Start time: 17:29 UTC (10:59 PM IST)
Peak: 19:41 UTC (1:11 AM IST on September 22)
End: 21:53 UTC (3:23 AM IST)
The eclipse will last about 4 hours and 24 minutes from start to finish. Unfortunately, since the event occurs overnight in Indian Standard Time, it will not be visible from India. Though not observable locally, the eclipse remains an essential celestial event for astronomers and skywatchers in the visibility zone.