New Delhi: The first solar eclipse of will take place on June 21. This will be an annular solar eclipse during which the moon will cover the sun from the centre leaving a ring of light visible in the sky. This will happen as the moon will be far away from earth which will make its relative size not big enough to cover the sun completely.
The June 21 Solar eclipse will start at 9:15 AM IST and go on until 3:04 PM IST. The maximum eclipse will take place at 12:10 IST. According to timeanddate.com, the eclipse will be visible from much of Asia, Africa, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, parts of Europe and Australia.
What is solar eclipse?
During a Solar eclipse the Sun, Moon and Earth are in a straight line and the Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, due to which the rays of the sun are blocked from reaching the Earth. This darkens the sky as if it is night time.
There are three kinds of solar eclipses: Total, Partial and Annular. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon fully blocks the Sun, with the people on Earth unable to see it and there being complete darkness. During a partial solar eclipse, the Moon covers a part of the Sun making a crescent shape sun visible to the people. Lastly, during an annular solar eclipse, the Moon covers the Sun fully, but due to its relatively small size the outer ring of the Sun is completely visible to the people.
A solar eclipse usually occurs around two weeks prior or after a lunar eclipse. Usually, there are two eclipses in a row. However, there have been times that we have seen three eclipses one after the other.
Solar eclipse is although a natural phenomenon, it is believed that it can have some negative effect on human health.
Some beliefs
According to some beliefs the eclipses are not considered good for pregnant women. As per some mythological theories, pregnant women should not step out of their house during the eclipse as it may be harmful to her and her baby. It is said that women who go at this time face difficulty during delivery or their children are born with abnormalities.
Watching solar eclipse directly with the naked eyes can damage your retina and in the worst case, it can even lead to blindness. If you want to view the solar eclipse then use special solar eclipse glasses for it. Many people use sunglasses or photographic negatives, but these things are not effective.
People believe that eclipse can even disrupt your digestive system. For the same reason, people avoid eating or drinking anything till the solar eclipse is not over.
Remember, not all of these beliefs are true. They are mere beliefs without any scientific backing. The only thing which is true is that you must not see the eclipse with your naked eyes.