Surya Grahan 2022: How to watch first solar eclipse of 2022? Date, time and more details

The year 2022 will see its first solar eclipse on April 30 which will be visible from several parts of the world. Meant to be a partial solar eclipse, the event will not be visible from India, and only parts of South America, the Atlantic Ocean, the Antarctic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean will see it. According to NASA, the eclipse will be a result of a rare phenomenon called the 'black moon'.

What is a Black Moon?

While it is not an official astronomical term, the black moon has two definitions, Space.com reports. The first is because of it being the second new moon in a single calendar month and the third new moon in a season of four new moons. A full moon occurs when the moon's face is fully illuminated by the sun whereas the new moon is the exact opposite. However, the term is used to define an event associated with the "new moon" because the moon is always black during this phase.

How to watch solar eclipse?

Since the celestial event will not be visible in India, one can still watch the partial solar eclipse online by tuning in to several YouTube channels. The eclipse will begin at 12:15 am (IST), on the midnight of April 30, and will last for about four hours before ending at around 4 am. As mentioned above, this will be a partial solar eclipse and will reportedly obscure 64% of the sun at its peak.

How does a solar eclipse occur?

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon, the Earth, and the Sun align in a straight line and the Moon ends up blocking our planet's view of its star. When the moon intervenes, the Sun's light gets blocked and the moon casts a shadow on Earth. As mentioned above, the forthcoming eclipse will be a partial one. A partial solar eclipse occurs when about 4.7 days before the moon reaches apogee, a term used to define its farthest point from Earth.

According to astronomers, the second partial solar eclipse will occur on October 25 when the moon will again align with the sun and the Earth in almost a straight line.