The rare phenomenon of the annular solar eclipse, or the ‘ring of fire, on December 26, 2019, would be clearly visible in some parts of India and the astronomy enthusiasts are all geared up to witness the miracle that happens very rarely.
Though the solar eclipse happens in regular intervals, the annular solar eclipse is a rare phenomenon, and it occurs when the moon’s apparent diameter is smaller than the sun’s, thus blocking most of the sun’s light and make it appear like an annulus (ring), according to the experts.
What is an annular solar eclipse?
Generally, when the new Moon intersects the light of the Sun, it brings a total solar eclipse on Earth. But it won’t be the case this time as the Moon is presently quite farther than average from Earth and once it will cross the Sun, a “negative shadow” or what technically called the antumbra will become visible in the form of the ring of fire. This is known as an annular eclipse.
When is the solar eclipse in December, timings?
According to the details available on Norway-based TimeandDate.com, the annular solar eclipse 2019 will be visible from most of Asia including South India as well as certain parts of North/ East Africa and North/ West Australia. The partial eclipse will appear at the first location at 7:59:53am IST on Thursday, December 26. It will after that reach the full eclipse stage at 9:04:33am IST and then move to the maximum eclipse position at 10:47:46am IST. Moreover, the solar eclipse will last for a maximum of three minutes and 40 seconds. People in Britain and North America won’t be able to see the annular solar eclipse 2019 on the ground.
| Event | Time in India |
|---|---|
| First location to see the partial eclipse begin | 26 Dec, 07:59:53 |
| First location to see the full eclipse begin | 26 Dec, 09:04:33 |
| Maximum Eclipse | 26 Dec, 10:47:46 |
| Last location to see the full eclipse end | 26 Dec, 12:30:55 |
| Last location to see the partial eclipse end | 26 Dec, 13:35:40 |
How to safely watch solar eclipse?
If you’re planning to witness the solar eclipse in person, make sure that you wear eye protection and aren’t looking at the Sun or the sky with naked eyes.
When is the next solar or lunar eclipse?
Just 15 days after the last solar eclipse of 2019, the world will see the first lunar eclipse of 2020 on January 10. The eclipse, however, won’t be noticeable due to its penumbral nature that is hard to determine from a usual full Moon session.