The first solar eclipse of the year will happen this Saturday, April 30, 2022. This celestial phenomenon coincides with the second new moon of the month, called the Black Moon.
The phenomenon can only be seen in a few countries worldwide, according to PEOPLE Magazine. Although the United States will not be able to see the Black Moon, there will be options to live broadcast the celestial event.
Solar Eclipse on April 30, 2022
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Black Moon will partially cover the brilliant sun, the Canadian website CTV News, reported. The occurence will cause a partial solar eclipse on Saturday, April 30.
However, it's worth mentioning that it'll only be visible in a few areas of the Earth, leaving other sections of the globe out.
Style Caster also mentioned the New Moon solar eclipse, often known as the "Black Moon," is only visible in Antarctica and portions of South America.
The partial solar eclipse will be visible 2:45 p.m. EDT (1845 GMT) and the maximum eclipse will occur hours later at 4:41 p.m. EDT (2041 GMT). The eclipse will end at 6:37 p.m. EDT (2237 GMT), according to TimeandDate.com.
Apart from those spots, the next solar eclipse would not be seen in most part of the world.
History of the "Black Moon"
This year's first solar eclipse, dubbed Black Moon, has an intriguing name. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, it refers to the eclipse that occurs during the second new moon.
Since the eclipse will occur during the second new moon of April, the "Black Moon" moniker applies to it.
When the sun and the moon's orbit line up during the day, a solar eclipse occurs. It might go one of two ways - partially obscuring or completely hiding the intense light of the solar system's largest star.
On April 30, there will be a partial solar eclipse, which will leave the sun in a crescent form.
According to a recent NASA blog article, anyone residing in or visiting the southern sections of South America, as well as the South Pacific and Southern Ocean, will have the opportunity to see the solar eclipse before nightfall.
Difference Between Solar and Lunar Eclipse
A solar or lunar eclipse includes three celestial bodies - the sun, moon, and earth. Solar and lunar eclipses are natural occurrences in which the sun and moon's beams are partially or completely obscured from view for a short time, Business Insider reported.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, partially or completely blocking the sun for a while. When the Earth passes between the moon and the sun, it casts its shadow on the moon, obscuring it completely or partially for a period of time.
Only when the moon is directly opposite the sun in the sky, with the earth in between, can a lunar eclipse occur. Every full moon day, month after month, this situation occurs.
However, because the sun is not perfectly aligned with the Earth and the moon, and the moon's orbit around the Earth is inclined by around 5 degrees, we do not observe a lunar eclipse on every full moon day. As a result, a lunar eclipse occurs just twice a year.
How to Watch Black Moon Safely
According to the same CTV News report, observing the solar eclipse directly without protection could harm the eyes. The US space agency went on to say that there is equipment to use if you don't want to suffer from blurry vision after watching the amazing solar eclipse.
Eclipse glasses or solar viewing glasses can be worn for safety. Smithsonian magazine recommends gear featuring ISO-approved solar filters, which are 100,000 times darker than everyday sunglasses, is also recommended.
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