Partial solar eclipse in India: When and how to watch

As millions of people prepare to witness this celestial event, eclipse chasers around the world are traveling to the best viewing spots. With the right precautions like using special eclipse glasses, solar filters, or indirect viewing methods like a pinhole projector, this rare phenomenon can be enjoyed safely.

Hyderabad: A partial solar eclipse, also known as Surya Grahanam, will occur today, March 29, lasting 3 hours and 53 minutes worldwide. The eclipse will begin at 2:21 PM and end at 6:14 PM, with the peak happening at 4:17 PM. However, it is not visible from India. It will be visible across Europe, Iceland, Northwestern Africa, Greenland, parts of the northeastern US and eastern Canada.

What Is a Solar Eclipse?

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A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight partially or completely. This cosmic alignment occurs only when the Moon is in its new moon phase and aligns perfectly with the Sun and Earth. However, since the Moon’s orbit is slightly tilted, solar eclipses don’t happen every month.

Different Types of Solar Eclipses

Not all solar eclipses look the same. There are four types:

• Total Eclipse: The Sun is completely covered by the Moon, revealing the Sun’s outer atmosphere (corona).

• Annular Eclipse: The Moon appears smaller than the Sun, leaving a bright ring around it.

• Partial Eclipse: Only a part of the Sun is covered by the Moon.

• Hybrid Eclipse: A rare eclipse that appears total in some areas and annular in others.

Total solar eclipses are extremely rare at any specific location, happening only once every 360 to 410 years. The longest total eclipse of this century occurred on July 22, 2009, lasting 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

How Solar Eclipses Changed Science

Solar eclipses have fascinated humanity for centuries. Ancient cultures saw them as bad omens or supernatural events. However, modern science has used eclipses to make groundbreaking discoveries. In 1919, a total solar eclipse helped confirm Einstein’s theory of general relativity when astronomers observed that starlight bent around the Sun’s gravity.

As millions of people prepare to witness this celestial event, eclipse chasers around the world are traveling to the best viewing spots. With the right precautions, like using special eclipse glasses, solar filters, or indirect viewing methods like a pinhole projector, this rare phenomenon can be enjoyed safely.