Just weeks after witnessing a Supermoon, Blood Moon, and total lunar eclipse occurring simultaneously last month, sky gazers are in for another treat. This time it is a solar eclipse – the first solar eclipse of 2021 -- which will also be an annular solar eclipse. There will be a total of four eclipses this year – two lunar and two solar – of which, only the first lunar eclipse 2021 has so far been witnessed.
What is an annular solar eclipse?
Solar eclipses occur when the Sun’s light does not reach the Earth as our planet’s only natural satellite – the Moon – comes in between, blocking out the sunlight. Solar eclipses can be of various types, such as total solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse, and annular solar eclipse.
An annular solar eclipse occurs where the Moon is the farthest from the Earth. Owing to its distance from the planet, the satellite is unable to block out the sunlight completely. So, the sunlight appears as a ‘Ring of Fire’ formed around the Moon.
Last year, one of the deepest annular solar eclipses had occurred on June 21.
How does the ring of fire form?
During an annular solar eclipse, the apparent size of the Moon is only slightly lesser than the Sun’s, which means, the Moon almost covers the Sun, leaving only the outer rim of the Sun uncovered. This gives the appearance of a “ring of fire”.
Date and time of first solar eclipse 2021:
The annular solar eclipse 2021 is just a week away and will take place next Thursday, i.e., June 10.
The 2021 solar eclipse will reportedly start at 1:42 pm IST and end at 1:11 pm IST on June 10.
Will the annular solar eclipse 2021 be visible from India?
The June 10 solar eclipse will reportedly be visible from India, but only from a select few states in the far east, such as Arunachal Pradesh.
According to NASA, the 2021 solar eclipse will also be visible from parts of Russia, Canada, and Greenland. At its peak, the second eclipse of 2021 will be visible from Greenland, too, followed by Siberia and the North Pole. These nations will be able to witness the ring of fire.
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