The first solar eclipse of the year occurred today. The eclipse mostly traversed over the waters starting from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Very few were lucky to see the ring of fire as the sun peeked from behind the new moon.
It must be noted that this was a Hybrid solar eclipse. A Hybrid Solar Eclipse is a mix of an Annular Solar Eclipse and a Total Solar Eclipse. During a Hybrid Solar Eclipse, the sun takes a ring shape around the moon for a few seconds.
The path of this solar eclipse began around 7 am (ist) and ended at 12.29 pm. However, it did not pass through India. The eclipse was visible in some parts of South/East Asia, Australia, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and Antarctica.
People of Australia were overwhelmed as the country experienced the rare celestial event of momentary darkness when the Moon cast its shadow on the planet as it intervened between the Sun and the Earth. The remote tourist town of Exmouth, with fewer than 3,000 residents, was promoted as one of the best vantage points in Australia to see the eclipse that also crossed remote parts of Indonesia and East Timor.
In Indonesia’s capital, hundreds came to the Jakarta Planetarium to see the partial eclipse that was obscured by clouds.
A partial Solar eclipse was visible in– Amsterdam Island, French Southern Territories -Port-aux-Francais, French Southern Territories, France -Perth, Western Australia, Australia -Jakarta, Jakarta Special Capital Region, Indonesia -Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia -Dili, Timor-Leste -Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia -General Santos, Philippines -Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia -Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea -Ngerulmud, Palau -Honiara, Solomon Islands -Hagåtña, Guam -Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands -Baker Island, US Minor Outlying Islands -Palikir, Pohnpei, Micronesia -Funafuti, Tuvalu -Yaren, Nauru -Tarawa, Kiribati -Majuro, Marshall Islands.
An annular eclipse in mid-October and a total eclipse next April will both cross over millions of people in the Americas.