This year's first solar eclipse - on April 20

On April 20, from 7:04 a.m. to 12:29 p.m. IST, this year’s first solar eclipse is to take place. The event is visible only to 8.77% of the world’s population, said Prof. Chandana Jayaratne of Colombo University.

 

As the moon’s shadow moves over the earth, the total eclipse will shift to an annular solar eclipse, thereby the rare solar eclipse is known commonly as a hybrid eclipse.

 

For some locations, the total eclipse can be witnessed while for other locations, a ring-like annular solar eclipse may be visible. In both cases, the falling of sunlight on the earth’s surface will be blocked when the moon will pass between the earth and the sun, according to Prof. Chandana Jayaratne.

 

Only 8.77% of the world’s population will have the opportunity to observe the eclipse but it won’t be visible directly in Sri Lanka as well as many other parts of the world, he added. However, through several websites, live observation is available, further said Prof. Chandana Jayaratne.