New Delhi: After witnessing a total lunar eclipse earlier this year, skywatchers are set for another celestial spectacle as the last solar eclipse of 2025 will take place on Sunday night.
The partial solar eclipse, scheduled for September 21, will not be visible from India but can be observed from parts of Australia, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and the Earth, casting a shadow that blocks sunlight. In a partial eclipse, however, the Sun is only partly obscured. During Sunday’s event, up to 85 per cent of the Sun will be covered in certain regions.
According to astronomical predictions, the eclipse will begin at 10.59 pm IST on Sunday, reach its maximum at 1.11 am IST on Monday, and end at 3.23 am IST.
This year has seen four eclipses, two partial solar eclipses and two total lunar eclipses. The upcoming event will be the second and final solar eclipse of 2025.
The eclipse also coincides with the autumnal equinox on September 22, which marks the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere. On this day, the Sun is positioned directly above the equator, resulting in nearly equal lengths of day and night across the globe.
The next solar eclipses are expected on February 17 and August 12, 2026, though neither will be visible from India. The country will next witness a solar eclipse in August 2027.