The first solar eclipse of the year 2023, which will be a ‘hybrid solar eclipse’ will be taking place today, April 20, 2023. This rare eclipse will cross over remote parts of Australia, Indonesia and East Timor. According to a report by PTI, the lucky few in the path of the hybrid solar eclipse will either get plunged into the darkness of a total eclipse or they’ll see a “ring of fire” as the sun peeks out from behind the moon.
Those outside the eclipse path can still watch from a distance: Some sites in Australia will stream the event online, including the Perth Observatory and the Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory. Unfortunately, the hybrid solar eclipse will not be visible in India.
In Western Australia the eclipse will be visible from 10:29 pm to 10:35 pm EDT on April 19 (2:29 to 2:35 GMT, April 20), in East Timor from 11:19 pm to 11:22 pm EDT on April 19 (3:19 to 3:22 GMT, April 20) and in Indonesia from 11:23 pm to 11:58 pm EDT on April 19 (3:23 to 3:58 GMT, April 20), according to a report by ANI.
How to watch the solar eclipse
It is never safe to look directly at the Sun and Moon during eclipses without specialized eye protection designed for viewing the eclipse. Viewing an eclipse with the naked eye can cause permanent damage to the eyes leading to blindness. Safe technique to observe the solar eclipse is either by using a proper filter like aluminized Mylar, black polymer, welding glass of shade number 14 or by making projection of the Sun’s image on a white board by telescope.