Super Rare Phenomenon: Rare hybrid solar eclipse to take place on Thursday, here are all the details

A once-in-a-decade cosmic phenomenon will dazzle fortunate sky gazers later this week.   The ‘hybrid solar eclipse’ is a unique sort of eclipse in which the Moon’s shadow passes over the Earth’s surface.   It implies that depending on where you are, people will be able to view the Sun almost or fully obscured by the Moon, resulting in darker daylight.   The event will be visible from areas of the equator and southern hemisphere, including Western Australia and Southeast Asia, at roughly 11:30 AM local time, but not from the UK or the US, according to the Royal Observatory.   Those who are able to watch it will not want to miss it; the previous hybrid solar eclipse occurred in November 2013, and the next one will not occur until November 2031. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and our planet, obstructing our view of the Sun. However, depending on how much of the Sun’s surface is really blocked, there are numerous types of solar eclipses.   A ’total’ solar eclipse happens when the Moon totally blocks the face of the Sun, but a ‘annular’ solar eclipse occurs when the Moon looks somewhat smaller than the Sun, leaving a dazzling ring of light around the Moon’s silhouette.   Meanwhile, a ‘partial’ solar eclipse occurs when the Moon just partially covers the Sun, giving the appearance if the Sun has been bitten. A hybrid solar eclipse combines a complete and annular solar eclipse, although it is preceded by a partial solar eclipse as the Moon climbs into position.   According to Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, “This eclipse is only viewable from Australia, East Timor, Indonesia, the southern Indian Ocean, and the western Pacific Ocean, while the associated partial eclipse will also be seen to a few surrounding locations.”   On Thursday, the Moon’s shadow will span hundreds of miles across the Earth, and every place within this shadow will see at least a partial solar eclipse. The line of totality is the centre point of this shadow, and it is along this route that Earthlings will view either a total solar eclipse or an annular solar eclipse.   Which one people see - complete or annular - is determined by where they are along the journey. Because the Earth is round, certain spots on the world are closer to the Moon than others at any one time.   On Thursday, when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align, those in Western Australia, East Timor, and Indonesia will be closer to the Moon than those further around the Earth’s curve. As a result, persons in these areas (Western Australia, East Timor, and Indonesia) will be in a prime position to witness a total solar eclipse.   Meanwhile, people further along the path of totality will observe an annular solar eclipse since they will be closer to the Moon. Because of the additional distance, the Moon will seem smaller and will not cover as much of the Sun, resulting in an annular solar eclipse. Skywatchers should avoid looking directly at the Sun with their naked eyes during the eclipse, even if they are wearing sunglasses. It’s also a bad idea not to gaze at the Sun using binoculars, telescopes, or a telephoto lens on an SLR camera. Alternatives include using a simple pinhole projector, solar eclipse viewing glasses, which may be purchased online, or special solar filters. “The easiest way to see an eclipse is via a pinhole in a piece of card,” according to Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society.   “An image of the Sun may then be projected behind it on another piece of card (experiment with the distance between the two, but it must be at least 30 cm). You should never, ever stare through the pinhole. Mirror projection is another common way for seeing an eclipse,” said Dr Massey. “You’ll need a small, flat mirror and a way to place it in the Sun so that it reflects sunlight into a room where you can watch it on a wall or some form of flat screen,” he explained. “Eclipse glasses with a recognised safety mark are also available from professional astronomy providers.” Unfortunately, the next total solar eclipse will not be seen in the UK for another 67 years, when the Moon totally hides the face of the Sun. This solar eclipse, which will occur on September 23, 2090, will be the first total solar eclipse seen from Britain since August 11, 1999, and the first viewable from Ireland since May 22, 1724.   The next solar eclipse in the United States, however, will occur on April 8, 2024, crossing from Texas to Maine. In portions of the United Kingdom, this will be observed as a partial eclipse shortly before sunset.   Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.