Partial Solar Eclipse 2018 on August 11: Know what is it, timings in India and more

A partial solar eclipse is going to take place on Saturday, which will last for nearly 3 hours 30 minutes. The solar eclipse will start at around 1:32 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) and would be visible till 5:02 PM IST. As per reports, the partial eclipse would be visible across major parts of the Northern Hemisphere, however Indians will not be able to see the event.

Partial solar eclipse: How does it differ from a total solar eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when sun, moon and earth are aligned in a straight line. In solar eclipse, moon comes in between the Sun and earth. In Lunar eclipse, earth comes between Sun and Moon. In both the case either of the two – Sun and Moon – are not visible to the people of earth.

Considering the case of Solar eclipse, the sunlight do not reaches the earth and due to which the temperature falls. It is the reason that several myths, superstitions and fear are associated with the darkness that eclipse brings.

In partial eclipse, the sun or moon is partially covered. During the partial solar eclipse, Moon covers a certain portion of the Sun, which makes it appears as a disk or in a crescent shape. The shape varies from place to place according to the location on Earth and the alignment of the three bodies.

As per the NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre (GSFC) map – which showcases the path of this eclipse – predicts that the visibility of this eclipse will be in eastern reaches of Siberia and the North Pole, with only 65 per cent cover.

People interested in observing the eclipse, can not watch from their bare eyes. Just like total solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse requires same precautions and specific glasses like special solar eclipse protection glasses and pinhole cameras are recommended to avoid any damage to the eyes.