GUWAHATI: A partial solar eclipse will be taking place today, October 25. This will be a rare happening as this will be the first time in over ten years that a partial solar eclipse will be visible from the country. As per the calculation of astronomers, this will not be visible for another decade after today.
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned, but not in a complete way. In this kind of phenomenon, the Sun appears to have a dark shadow on a small part of its surface. The whole process of a partial solar eclipse happens over three phases, namely the beginning, it reaching a maximum, and the end.
The first one of this year had taken place on April 30 while the one today will be the last one of the year. The next major solar eclipse to be visible from India will be an annular eclipse. It will happen on May 21, 2031, and the annularity can be observed from a narrow patch of land in south India. Three years from that, on March 20, 2034, the next total solar eclipse will be visible from India. This total solar eclipse will be visible from the northernmost part of Kashmir.
Extreme precautions must be taken while observing any solar eclipse. The eclipses might be visible to the naked eye but the rays of the sun can be very harmful to the eye and can lead to permanent damage to the retina, meaning permanent blindness.
One of the safest ways to view the eclipse is by using special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse glasses. These glasses are made from materials like black polymer or aluminized Mylar and will help protect your eyes from getting damaged. Drivers on the road are often advised to drive with their headlights on during eclipses to avoid sudden loss of concentration.
According to reports, this partial solar eclipse will be visible from the Dibrugarh, Dhubri and Bongaigaon districts of Assam. But with overcast skies caused by Cyclone Sitrang, one should not expect any visibility of this rare natural phenomenon.
The Odisha Government declared Tuesday as a public holiday on account of the solar eclipse. All government offices, schools, colleges, educational institutions, courts, banks and other financial institutions will remain closed, according to an official release.
Several temples including the Lord Venkateswara temple in Thirupati will remain closed for nearly 12 hours because of the solar eclipse. The temple doors will be closed from 8:11 am to 7:30 pm.
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