Here's some great news for sky gazers and astrologers! The year 2022 will witness four lunar eclipses and two solar eclipses. Out of these, the first solar eclipse (also called Surya Grahan in the Hindi language) of the year 2022 is expected to take place on the last day of this month, i.e. on April 30 this year. "A solar eclipse occurs when a portion of the Earth is engulfed in a shadow cast by the Moon which fully or partially blocks sunlight. This occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned. Such alignment coincides with a new moon indicating the Moon is closest to the ecliptic plane," according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
NASA has shared a few details of the upcoming solar eclipse on April 30, 2022. If you want to know more about this event, then read on to know more!
When is the solar eclipse?
The first solar eclipse of this year will take place on April 30, 2022. The solar eclipse or Surya Grahan will begin at 12:15 AM on April 30, 2022, and it will go on till 4:07 AM on May 1, 2022, according to the Indian Standard Time.Where can I see the solar eclipse?
According to NASA, the solar eclipse on April 30, 2022, will be a partial one. It can be seen in places like Southern South America, Antarctica, and the Southern and Pacific Oceans. NASA’s official release says, as per a report by IANS, “As it sets in the west on the evening of April 30, the Sun will appear partially eclipsed for those with clear skies in Chile, Argentina, most of Uruguay, western Paraguay, southwestern Bolivia, southeastern Peru and a small part of southwestern Brazil.”Since it will be nighttime in India the solar eclipse won't be visible in our country. However, people can still watch it live online on NASA's social media pages and YouTube channel.What can I expect to see during a solar eclipse?
As mentioned above, the solar eclipse on April 30 will not be visible in India. Since the upcoming solar eclipse is a partial one, it means that this time from Earth it will appear as if the Moon is partially covering the Sun. During this solar eclipse, nearly 65 percent of the Sun will be covered by the Moon, as per NASA. This will be visible from other parts of the world where daylight would prevail at that time.For those who believe in astrology or follow it, it is being said that the solar eclipse will have its effect on a few zodiac signs, namely: Aries, Cancer, and Scorpio.The solar eclipse happening on April 30, 2022, will be coinciding with the Black Moon-- another unique celestial event, which refers to a New Moon phase wherein the Moon is “black”. This is a term used popularly; astronomy doesn't have a term called 'Black Moon'.Another rare phenomenon taking place almost at the same time will also be seen in the USA. At sunrise on April 30 in the US, one will be able to witness the planets Venus and Jupiter in a rare conjunction, as the planets will assemble for a five-world lineup which will be visible in June.And interestingly, "On May 4 and 5, remnants from Comet Halley can be seen slamming into the atmosphere to produce the Eta Aquarids. With the moon just a few days past its new phase, the meteor shower should be a pretty good show," reports Financial Express.
