Rare Hybrid Solar Eclipse Witnessed Today
NEW DELHI: One of the rare celestial events, a hybrid solar eclipse was visible from some parts of the earth on Thursday. This hybrid solar eclipse occurs due to the curvature of the earth as the Sun shifts from an Annular Eclipse to a Total Solar Eclipse.
According to reports, this was the first solar eclipse of the year apart from being a rare astronomical spectacle. It is called a hybrid solar eclipse because it has the characteristics of both an annular solar and a total solar eclipse. The phenomenon was visible in Australia and parts of Southeast Asia as it passes over the Indian and Pacific Oceans. But according to NASA, this event was not visible from India.
A solar eclipse takes place when the moon passes between the sun and the earth in such a way that the sunlight is blocked and the shadow of the moon covers a part of the earth’s surface. An annular solar eclipse is when only a part of the sun is hidden by the shadow of the moon while a total solar eclipse takes place when the sun becomes completely invisible on a portion of the earth where the shadow falls. However, a hybrid solar eclipse takes place when the three bodies are alligned in such a way that it fulfils the criteria of both annular and total solar eclipse.
People at many locations were able to see the ring of fire, the uttermost layer of the sun as the rest of it is hidden under the shadow of the moon for a few seconds. But only two locations were able to witness the transition from annular to total and back to annular solar eclipse during this event.
The following are the times when the hybrid solar eclipse will be visible.
In Western Australia, from 10:29 pm to 10:35 pm EDT on April 19 (2:29 to 2:35 GMT, April 20).
East Timor from 11:19 pm to 11:22 pm EDT on April 19 (3:19 to 3:22 GMT, April 20).
Indonesia from 11:23 pm to 11:58 pm EDT on April 19 (3:23 to 3:58 GMT, April 20).
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