Solar eclipses are lot more common on Jupiter than Earth, NASA says ‘double triple and multiple…’ | See pics

Total Solar Eclipse 2024: Skygazers are keenly waiting for one of the most exciting cosmic events of the year set to take place tomorrow, on Monday. The rare phenomenon of total solar eclipse on Earth is not so uncommon on Jupiter, which is orbited by more than ninety moons. Five of its moons are close enough to the planet to occult the Sun, which makes double, triple and even multiple simultaneous eclipses common on the gas giant, said NASA on Sunday.

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American space agency, Nasa shared a post on its social media handle with photos of solar eclipses on Jupiter. The images capture Jupiter's surface during a total solar eclipse due to one of its moons, Ganymede.

“Five of Jupiter’s moons, Amalthea, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto are either large enough or close enough to the planet to completely occult the Sun. Double, triple and multiple simultaneous eclipses are not uncommon on the planet," wrote Nasa in its social media post.

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What does a solar eclipse look like on Jupiter?

As seen in the image shared by the US space agency, Jupiter's clouds create colourful patterns including stripes, bands and swirls in shades of blue and brown during ⁣solar eclipse. The images were captured by the Juno spacecraft which was about 44,000 miles (71,000 km) above Jupiter’s cloud tops, and 15 times closer to the planet than Ganymede, at the time of clicking the photo.

“On the left side of the image, Jupiter’s surface is darkened by the shadow of one of its moons, Ganymede,” wrote NASA in its post.

According to NASA's official website, a total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon obstructs the Earth's direct sight of the Sun, “by completely blocking the face of the Sun.” Because of the solar eclipse, the sky “ will darken as if it were dawn or dusk.” 

Countries where solar eclipse 2024 will be visible on Monday

Solar eclipse will not be visible from India. However, it can be spotted by people from the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other parts of North America. “On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada," the space agency stated on its website.