India will witness its first solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) of the year and it will be a hybrid solar eclipse. A hybrid solar eclipse is a rare type of eclipse that can be witnessed only a few times per century. A hybrid solar eclipse will be visible on April 20, 2023, from a few sites.
A total of four eclipses will occur in 2023, including two lunar eclipses and two solar eclipses.
What is a hybrid solar eclipse?
A hybrid solar eclipse, also known as a "annular-total solar eclipse," is a rare type of solar eclipse that transitions between a total solar eclipse and an annular solar eclipse along its path of totality.
Will it be visible in India?
Unfortunately, the rare hybrid eclipse will not be visible in India. According to reports, the hybrid eclipse will be visible from western Australia, East Timor, and eastern Indonesia beginning at 21:36 EDT on 19 April till 2:59 AM. Eclipse will not be visible in India but people can witness the unique experience online.
Which locations will witness the transitioning of the eclipse?
The transitioning from Annular to Total before transitioning back to Annular will be observed from only two locations which will be in the middle of the ocean.
When can it be seen at other sites?
The hybrid solar eclipse will be visible from Western Australia from 10:29 PM to 10:35 PM EDT on April 19 (0229 to 0235 GMT on April 20), in East Timor from 11:19 PM to 11:22 PM EDT (0319 to 0322 GMT) and in Indonesia from 11:23 PM to 11:58 PM EDT (0323 to 0358 GMT).
When is the next Solar Eclipse of the year?
Reportedly, the next solar eclipse will be witnessed on October 14, 2023. According to Space.com, the previous one was witnessed in 2013 and the next one will be witnessed in 2031.
Will there be a ‘Sutak period’ in India?
According to astrology, the ‘Sutak’ period begins 12 hours prior to the solar eclipse. This period is considered inauspicious and religious activities are prohibited during it. However, the Sutak period is considered only when the eclipse is visible. Because the solar eclipse is not visible in India, the Sutak period will also not be considered.
What are the different types of eclipses?
There are a total of 4 types of eclipses- Solar Eclipse, Hybrid Solar Eclipse, Penumbral Eclipse and Lunar eclipse.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on the Earth's surface. There are 4 sub-categories of this eclipse- Total, Annular, Partial and Hybrid Solar Eclipse.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Moon to pass through the Earth's shadow. There are 3 types of lunar eclipses- Total Lunar eclipse, Partial Lunar eclipse and Penumbral Lunar Eclipse.
A penumbral eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the outer part of the Earth's shadow, known as the penumbra. This type of eclipse may not be easily visible to the naked eye.
A hybrid eclipse, also known as an annular-total eclipse, occurs when an eclipse appears as annular from some parts of the Earth and as total from other parts. This type of eclipse is relatively rare.
