The second and final solar eclipse of 2024 will take place on Wednesday, October 2. This event, known as an annular solar eclipse, will occur just 15 days after the lunar eclipse and coincide with Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the New Moon day observed for ancestors. An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth but does not completely cover the Sun, resulting in a striking "ring of fire" effect.
Will the Solar Eclipse Be Visible in India?
The solar eclipse is expected to begin at 9:13 PM on 2 October 2024, according to Indian Standard Time (IST), and will end at 3:17 AM. As it will take place during the night in India, it will not be visible from any part of the country. Since the eclipse will not be observable, the Sutak period, the inauspicious time that typically precedes a solar or lunar eclipse, will also not be observed.
Where Will the Solar Eclipse Be Visible?
People in parts of South America, particularly in Chile and Argentina, will have the opportunity to witness the annular eclipse. Other countries and regions where the partial solar eclipse will be visible include the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic, Peru, and Fiji.
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Some notable cities where the annular solar eclipse can be observed include Hanga Roa in Chile and Puerto Deseado in Argentina. For the partial eclipse, cities such as Honolulu (Hawaii, USA), Suva (Fiji), Santiago (Chile), São Paulo (Brazil), Montevideo (Uruguay), and Buenos Aires (Argentina) will have a view of the celestial event.
What is an Annular Solar Eclipse?
Unlike a total solar eclipse, where the Moon completely covers the Sun, an annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is too far from Earth to fully block the Sun. Instead, it covers only the central portion, leaving a glowing ring around the edges. This "ring of fire" is a signature feature of an annular eclipse.
The annular phase of the eclipse on 2 October 2024 will last for about 7 minutes and 25 seconds at its peak. The eclipse’s magnitude will be around 93 percent, meaning that a large portion of the Sun’s disk will be obscured, but not completely.
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Areas Where the Eclipse Will Not Be Visible
The eclipse will not be visible in India, nor in other Asian countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, and the UAE. Additionally, it will not be observable from Europe, Africa, northern parts of North America, Australia, and Mauritius.
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