Under a cloudless sky, about 20,000 eclipse chasers watched a rare solar eclipse plunge part of Australia’s northwest coast into brief midday darkness Thursday with an accompanying temperature drop.
The remote tourist town of Exmouth, with fewer than 3,000 residents, was promoted as one of the best vantage points in Australia to see the eclipse that also crossed remote parts of Indonesia and East Timor.
An international crowd had been gathering for days, camping in tents and trailers on a red, dusty plain on the edge of town with cameras and other viewing equipment pointed skyward.
During this astronomical event, the earth, moon, and sun will come together in a rare alignment and result in a solar eclipse. This particular solar eclipse is considered hybrid because it is neither addressed as a partial solar eclipse nor as a total solar eclipse.
According to NASA sources, today, skywatchers in Australia and parts of southeast Asia will be able to view a hybrid solar eclipse as it passes over the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Unfortunately, the hybrid solar eclipse will not be visible in India.
As per Drik Panchang, None of the eclipse would be visible from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Fiji, Mauritius, UAE and other Asian countries. Also none of the eclipse would be visible from Atlantic Ocean, Africa, Europe and America continents.The partial Solar Eclipse would be visible from most parts of Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and some parts of Antarctica and south-east Asia.
The next Eclipse (Partial) will be visible in India on 2 August 2027 and the next annular solar eclipse will occur in 2031.
Here’s everything you need to know about today’s hybrid solar eclipse.
1. What is a hybrid solar eclipse?
A hybrid solar eclipse is a rare type of eclipse that occurs only a few times per century. As per NASA, hybrid eclipses shift from annular to total due to our planet’s curve.
2. How it is different from a total eclipse?
A total eclipse occurs when the moon completely obscures the sun, whereas an annular eclipse occurs when the moon obscures the sun but appears smaller, leaving the outline of a solar ring and the rare hybrid eclipse takes place when both occur at the same time.
3. Where will it be visible?
According to NASA, on April 20, skywatchers in Australia and parts of southeast Asia will be able to view a hybrid solar eclipse as it passes over the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Unfortunately, the hybrid solar eclipse will not be visible in India.
4. Time to Watch the solar eclipse?
In Western Australia the eclipse will be visible from 10:29 pm to 10:35 pm EDT on April 19 (2:29 to 2:35 GMT, April 20), in East Timor from 11:19 pm to 11:22 pm EDT on April 19 (3:19 to 3:22 GMT, April 20) and in Indonesia from 11:23 pm to 11:58 pm EDT on April 19 (3:23 to 3:58 GMT, April 20).
5. When will the next solar eclipse be visible?
The next Eclipse (Partial) will be visible in India on August 2, 2027 (not visible in Odisha) and the next annular solar eclipse will occur in 2031.
(With inputs from ANI)