Rare solar eclipse to dazzle till 12.29 pm: When and how to watch

This eclipse will not be seen in India. But the skywatchers, in the country, can view the rare astronomical event online.

The timing of the hybrid solar eclipse which started around 7am IST will go on till around 12.30pm will vary according to the geographical location of the skywatchers. It can be streamed online on the NASA website.

Solar eclipses occur when our planet, the Moon, and the Sun line up. When this happens, the Moon casts a shadow on our planet as it passes between the Sun and Earth. This shadow either fully or partially blocks the Sun's light in certain areas on the planet. A lunar eclipse differs from a solar eclipse as it involves the Earth coming in between the Sun and the Moon.

There are four types of solar eclipses - total, annular, partial and hybrid.

While these astronomical events are considered rare, a hybrid solar eclipse is the rarest of them all. Another hybrid solar eclipse after April 20 is expected in 2031, the last predicted occurrence for 133 years. A hybrid solar eclipse is essentially a combination of an annular and a total eclipse. In this rare phenomenon, an eclipse shifts between annular and total as the Moon’s shadow moves across the planet.

An annular solar eclipse is one of the most impressive celestial events. In an annular solar eclipse, the moon blocks out the centre of the sun and leaves a circle of light from the sun visible from within a shadow. This dazzling circle of light looks like a ring of fire.