Total solar eclipse 2024: First celestial event to occur on THIS date. Will it be visible in India? All details here

The sky-gazers is set to soon witness the first celestial event of the year. A total solar eclipse will be witnessed in the month of April. A total eclipse occurs when the moon completely obscures the sun.

What is a Total Solar Eclipse?

As per NASA, A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the centre of the Moon’s shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. NASA states that a total solar eclipse is the only type of solar eclipse where viewers can momentarily remove their eclipse glasses (which are not the same as regular sunglasses) for a brief period when the Moon is completely blocking the Sun.

Solar Eclipse 2024 timing and date

The total solar eclipse will occur on 8 April. According to NASA, the April 8 eclipse will begin over the South Pacific, with its path reaching Mexico's Pacific coast at around 11.07 a.m. Pacific Time (12:37 am IST) before entering the United States in Texas.

Its path will then take it through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

The path will then enter Canada in Ontario and journey through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, exiting continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. Newfoundland Time, as reported by Reuters. 

Will it be visible in India?

As per reports, the total solar eclipse will not be visible in India. 

How to look at Total Solar Eclipse 2024 safely?

As per NASA, except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, one should avoid watching the eclipse with the naked eye.

One should use special eye protection or indirect viewing methods to watch the solar eclipse.

You can watch the eclipse by projecting Sun's image on a whiteboard by using a Telescope.

One can also use eye filters like black polymer, aluminised Mylar, or welding glass of shade number 14 to observe the Solar eclipse. However, it is not safe to witness the eclipse directly

You can view the solar eclipse by using eclipse glasses.