Where and how to watch the rare hybrid solar eclipse on 20 April 2023

• The first eclipse of the year 2023 will be a solar eclipse occurring on 20 April.
• One of the rarest of solar eclipses, this will be a hybrid eclipse presenting spectacular views.
• This eclipse will be visible from a small number of sites including Australia, Eastern Indonesia and East Timor.

The rarity of the first solar eclipse of 2023 is due to the fact that it will be a hybrid eclipse presenting some amazingly spectacular views in the sky for the viewers. The first solar eclipse of 2023 is slated for April 20. This solar eclipse will not be visible from India. Reports say that some regions on earth including Western Australia, Eastern Indonesia, and East Timor will be able to watch the eclipse at 21:36 EDT on April 19 till 2:59 am on 20 April.

What is a hybrid solar eclipse?

Described as an unusual kind of celestial event, a hybrid solar eclipse will contain the episodes of both annular (ring-shaped) and total solar eclipses. During the entire phase of the eclipse, the solar eclipse will vary from annular to a total solar eclipse and then return to annular once again as the shadow of the moon passes over the earth’s surface.

This hybrid eclipse is called the ‘Ningaloo’ eclipse, named after the Australian shoreline Ningaloo from where it will be best viewed. The solar eclipse on April 20 has hybrid features with annual parts of its course very close to the sunrise and sunset.

How to watch the upcoming hybrid solar eclipse?

Due to the rarity of the upcoming solar eclipse, sky gazers are very eager to watch it in the mode convenient to them.

While a solar eclipse can be a spectacular event, viewers need to take extreme precautions due to the serious risks connected to viewing it with the naked eye. Experts say that the powerful rays of the sun during the time of eclipse can even cause permanent damage to the eye including blindness.

NASA recommends using the right kind of filters like aluminised mylar, black polymer or 14-shaded welding glass. Alternatively, one can also use a telescope to watch the eclipse through binoculars or project the sun’s image on a whiteboard during the time of eclipse through a telescope.

It is very safe to view the solar eclipse from a viewing platform since not many physical locations on the earth will be able to see the eclipse as it happens. Quite a number of websites have scheduled a live broadcast of the solar eclipse.

The 2023 calendar has a total of 4 eclipses, two solar and two lunar eclipses. Following the first solar eclipse on 20 April, the next and the last solar eclipse of the year will happen on 14 October. The first lunar eclipse of the year will happen on 5-6 May and the second one will happen on 28-29 October.