The first solar eclipse of 2024 will occur today. Although not visible from India, the total solar eclipse will sweep across North America, passing through Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The Royal Museums in Greenwich noted that such eclipses are extremely rare for any particular location, and once a solar eclipse is witnessed in one place, the next one is likely to occur in about 400 years.

What makes today’s solar eclipse so rare?

Today’s eclipse is a total solar eclipse, which is rare because it requires precise alignment between the sun, moon and Earth, according to NASA.

During this time, the moon must be directly between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s rays. However, because the Moon’s orbit around Earth is slightly tilted compared to Earth’s orbit around the Sun, this alignment doesn’t happen very often.

During a total solar eclipse, the sky will darken, similar to dawn or dusk. If weather conditions permit, observers within the path of the eclipse can see the corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere that is usually obscured by the Sun’s brightness.

Total solar eclipse 2024 time

Today’s solar eclipse will begin at 9:12 pm IST, with a total solar eclipse (when the sun is completely covered by the moon) starting at 10:08 pm and lasting until 2:22 am IST on April 9.

A total eclipse will occur along the Pacific coast of Mexico on April 8 at approximately 11:07 a.m. Pacific Time (PT). The eclipse will move across North America, ending near Maine around 1:30 p.m. Pacific time.

Types of solar eclipses:

total solar eclipse

This occurs when the moon completely covers the sun, blocking all direct sunlight. During a total eclipse, the sky darkens dramatically and the solar corona becomes visible. These types of solar eclipses are considered the most beautiful.

partial solar eclipse

In a partial solar eclipse, the moon partially covers the sun, forming a crescent shape. In this case, observers will notice less sunlight.

annular solar eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the sun’s disk. This creates a halo, or band, of sunlight around the moon’s dark outline.

mixed eclipse

A mixed eclipse is when the moon’s shadow passes across the Earth’s curved surface, and the type of eclipse varies between annular and total eclipses.