Hybrid Solar Eclipse coming! Know date, time, place to watch

The first solar eclipse of the year 2023 is almost here. But this will not be a partial or total solar eclipse. Yes, on April 20, 2023, parts of Pacific and Indian Ocean regions will witness a rare hybrid solar eclipse. It can be known that a solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, the Moon, and Earth line up, either fully or partially. Depending on how they align, eclipses provide a unique, exciting view of either the Sun or the Moon. "A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth that either fully or partially blocks the Sun’s light in some areas," NASA said.

Wondering how a hybrid solar eclipse occurs? Because Earth's surface is curved, sometimes an eclipse can shift between annular and total as the Moon’s shadow moves across the globe. This is called a hybrid solar eclipse. Apart from the hybrid solar eclipse happening on April 20, the year will also see an annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023, while a total solar eclipse will happen on April 8, 2024. Meanwhile here is all you need to know about the hybrid solar eclipse of April 20, 2023:

Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2023: Date and Time

According to the information provided by In-The-Sky.org, the hybrid solar eclipse will occur on April 20 from 07:06 IST (01:36 UTC) to 12:29 IST (06:59 UTC).

Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2023: Who can watch it

The hybrid total/annular eclipse will be visible from western Australia, East Timor and eastern Indonesia, according to the report by In-The-Sky.org. "The Moon will pass in front of the Sun, creating a hybrid total/annular solar eclipse visible from western Australia, East Timor and eastern Indonesia between 07:06 and 12:29 IST," it said. The eclipse will not be visible from India and the US.

According to a report by Space.com, some skywatchers in the above-mentioned regions will be treated to a total solar eclipse, whereas others will see a "ring of fire" annular eclipse. Still others will witness a partial solar eclipse, with the moon taking a bite out of a portion of the sun.

"This hybrid eclipse will appear as a total or annular solar eclipse when viewed from Western Australia from 10:29 p.m. to 10:35 p.m. EDT on April 19 (0229 to 0235 GMT on April 20), in East Timor from 11:19 p.m. to 11:22 p.m. EDT (0319 to 0322 GMT) and in Indonesia from 11:23 p.m. to 11:58 p.m. EDT (0323 to 0358 GMT)," Space.com stated.

The celestial event will appear as a partial eclipse from many more countries, including the French Southern Territories, Papua New Guinea, and the Marshall Islands, according to In-The-Sky.org.