A rare hybrid solar eclipse to take place on April 20

• There will be two solar eclipses this year ,and the first one will be on April 20, 2023.
• The rare kind of solar eclipse on April 20 will be a hybrid eclipse, which usually happens only once in a decade.
• This time, the hybrid solar eclipse will be physically visible only from a few spots on the earth.

Among the two solar eclipses marked on the calendar of 2023, the first one will be on April 20, 2023. This time, the world will witness a hybrid solar eclipse. This event can be seen from places including Indonesia, Australia and Timor-Leste.

Around the same time, Southeast Asia, Australia, East Indies, New Zealand, and Philippines will see a partial solar eclipse only. The partial eclipse will start at 1:34 UTC and will last till 6:59 UTC. The hybrid eclipse will start at 2:37 UTC and will last till 5:56 UTC.

The greatest view of the eclipse will be seen from off the coast of Timor at 4:16:47 UTC and will last for 1 minute and 16 seconds. The total duration of this hybrid eclipse is 199 minutes.

During the maximum phase of the eclipse, the sun will be covered by the moon 1.02657%.

In any hybrid solar eclipse, you will be able to see an annular solar eclipse or a total one depending on from where you are watching the eclipse in the path of totality.

If you are enthusiastic about watching a solar eclipse, you must never forget to take the necessary precautions like wearing a safe solar filter recommended by experts for the purpose.

The upcoming solar eclipse on April 20, 2023 will present a spectacular view starting as an annular solar eclipse, becoming a total solar eclipse and then getting back into an annular solar eclipse once again.

Most interestingly, among the 224 eclipses marked for the 21st century, only seven will be hybrid eclipses.

Interesting facts about hybrid solar eclipses

Two to five solar eclipses can happen in a year. In the 21st century, only 3.1% of solar eclipses had been hybrid solar eclipses. Statistics say that between 2000BCE and 3000CE, only 4.8% of solar eclipses were hybrid ones.

The last hybrid solar eclipse happened on November 3, 2013. It was seen as a total solar eclipse visible from the regions including Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. For up to one minute, even the cruise ships sailing in the mid-Atlantic ocean could experience the totality of this eclipse.

The hybrid solar eclipse on April 20, 2023 will happen in the southern hemisphere. This eclipse will be a transition from annular eclipse to a total eclipse and then the process will repeat in the reverse direction once again. However, both these events will be seen only in remote locations in the sea. Therefore, the best way to watch this eclipse is on the broadcasting platforms that will live telecast the event.