India to witness a partial solar eclipse: What does this mean?

The sun will put on a celestial show today (25 October) and many Indians will be able to witness it.

A partial solar eclipse which is called Surya Grahan in India will be visible from parts of Europe, North Africa and large parts of western and central Asia including India. This will mark the last solar eclipse of the year.

According to Time and Date, the partial solar eclipse will begin at 2:28 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) and end at around 6:32 pm IST. The maximum eclipse will be visible at 4:30 pm.

Solar eclipses are one of the many wonders of space that can be spectated from planet Earth. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets in between Earth and the sun. And when it gets in the way, the moon casts a shadow over Earth.

A solar eclipse can only take place during the phase of new moon. However, the alignment of each eclipse is different and it depends on a dozen of factors.

According to a physics professor named Richard Olenick from the University of Dallas, a solar eclipse either makes birds and animals very sleepy or if they decide not to sleep solar eclipses might confuse them about the sudden changes in the environment. Apart from this, local temperatures may also dip during totality.

On Oct. 25, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, partially blocking the star for some viewers in Africa, Asia, & Europe! 🌍🌑☀️

This partial solar eclipse is a chance to witness the dance between the Sun, @NASAMoon, & @NASAEarth. For safe viewing info: https://t.co/z6FQZ9PVw3 pic.twitter.com/QoHvdB4QZJ

— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) October 24, 2022

Let’s take a closer look at what partial and total solar eclipses are.

What is a total solar eclipse?

During a solar eclipse, the moon casts two types of shadows: the umbra and the penumbra. Umbra is that part of the shadow where all sunlight is blocked out and according to a report by Space, umbra takes the shape of a dark and slender cone. Umbra is in turn surrounded by penumbra which is a lighter, funnel-shaped shadow from which sunlight is partially obstructed.

A total solar eclipse is when the moon casts its umbra upon Earth’s surface. This shadow can sweep as much as a third of the Earth’s surface in just a few hours. Umbra causes the sun’s disk to diminish into a crescent during a total solar eclipse.

However, not everyone is able to see a total solar eclipse. It is only visible to star-gazers who fall in the path of the moon’s full shadow. Those outside this path can see a partial eclipse.

Solar eclipses are typically named after their darkest phase. Going by this logic, when a solar eclipse is total or full at any point on Earth, it will be called a total solar eclipse.

A total solar eclipse reveals the corona, the outermost atmosphere of the sun. Totality may last as seven minutes although most total eclipses are usually much shorter in duration.

What is a partial solar eclipse?

As compared to a total solar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon, the sun and Earth don’t align in a perfect straight line and the moon casts only the outer part of its shadow, the penumbra on Earth. The phenomenon can be easily perceived as if the moon has taken a bite out of the sun.

Partial solar eclipses are the most common type of solar eclipse. About 35 per cent of all solar eclipses are partial in nature. When the moon’s penumbra is larger than its umbra, the chances of witnessing a partial solar eclipse also increase.

A Partial solar eclipse goes through three phases: the beginning, the maximum point and the end.

During a partial solar eclipse, the moon’s umbra is cast into space just above the polar regions, missing the Earth by a narrow margin. This means that partial solar eclipses are potentially more visible at places that are closer to one of the poles.

Which Indian cities will witness today’s eclipse?

In India, the partial solar eclipse will last for an hour and 45 minutes.

According to the Ministry of Earth Science, these Indian cities will witness the partial solar eclipse today:

• New Delhi - 04:29 pm
• Mumbai - 04:49 pm
• Pune - 04:51 pm
• Kolkata - 04:52 pm
• Ahmedabad - 04:38 pm
• Jaipur - 04:32 pm
• Lucknow - 04:36 pm
• Ujjain - 04:41 pm

Cities that will see the eclipse for less than an hour are Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Lucknow, Kanpur, Nagpur, Ooty, Varanasi, Vishakhapatnam, among others.

While northeasters cities like Aizawl, Dibrugarh, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Silchar as well as Andaman and Nicobar Island will not be able to see the partial solar eclipse at all.

How to watch a solar eclipse?

As space enthusiasts will soon start to step out of their homes to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon, it is important to keep in mind that looking directly at the sun can pose a threat to the human eye.

Solar eclipses are especially dangerous because of the sudden changes in the sun’s luminosity which will not give the bare eye a chance to adapt.

According to a report by New York Times, Robert Massey, the deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society in the UK said, “People need to understand it is not safe to look at the sun. Even if it is 20 percent covered, that’s still leaving an enormous amount of uncovered sun.”

It is always a good idea to carry a pair of black-tinted glasses that have solar filters while enjoying this nature’s wonder.

With inputs from agencies

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