Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2024: Get ready for a celestial feast in 2024 as the skies will play host to two Solar Eclipses and two Lunar Eclipses, promising a visual treat for avid skywatchers. Eclipses are special events in the sky that have been important for people throughout history. They happen when the sun, moon, and Earth align in a certain way. Eclipses are not just interesting for scientists; they also have cultural and spiritual meanings for many societies. People often see them as signs of change or something significant about to happen. Even though scientists study eclipses to learn more about space, the events also carry symbolic importance in various cultures. So, eclipses are not only about shadows and light in the sky; they are like ancient cosmic stories that continue to capture our imagination and wonder.
The year kicks off with the first Solar Eclipse on April 8, presenting a Total Solar Eclipse that begins its journey over the South Pacific Ocean and gracefully crosses North America, encompassing Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Simultaneously, a Partial Solar Eclipse will unfold in various locations, including Costa Rica, Cuba, Aruba, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, French Polynesia, and Jamaica.
Eclipse Start Time: 3:42 pm (UTC)
Eclipse End Time: 4:36 pm (UTC)
Maximum Eclipse: 6:17 pm (UTC)
The celestial drama continues with the second Surya Grahan on October 2, marked by an Annular Solar Eclipse. This unique event, commonly known as a ring of fire solar eclipse, will be visible in South America (Argentina and Chile), while a Partial Solar Eclipse will grace South America, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and North America.
Eclipse Start Time: 3:42 pm (UTC)
Eclipse End Time: 4:50 pm (UTC)
Maximum Eclipse: 6:45 pm (UTC)
Notably, these eclipses will not be visible in India, rendering the Sutak time irrelevant on these occasions.
The lunar spectacle begins on March 25 with a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, during which the Moon traverses the outer region of Earth's shadow called the Penumbra. This fascinating event will be visible across Europe, Australia, Africa, North/East Asia, North America, South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Antarctica.
Penumbral Eclipse: 4:53 am (UTC)
Maximum Eclipse: 7:12 am (UTC)
Penumbral Eclipse: 9:32 am (UTC)
The second Lunar Eclipse on September 18 will be a Partial Lunar Eclipse, gracing regions including Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North/West North America, North/East South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, the Arctic, and Antarctica.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 3:38 pm (UTC)
Partial Lunar Eclipse: 4:46 pm (UTC)
Full Lunar Eclipse: 6:03 pm (UTC)
Maximum Lunar Eclipse: 6:32 pm (UTC)
Full Lunar Eclipse Ends: 7:02 pm (UTC)
Partial Lunar Eclipse Ends: 8:18 pm (UTC)
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Ends: 9:27 pm (UTC)
Similar to the solar events, these Lunar Eclipses will also not be visible in India, making the Sutak time irrelevant during these celestial occurrences.
