Total Solar Eclipse 2021 on December 4: How to safely watch Surya Grahan

New Delhi, Dec 01: The world is set to witness the last solar eclipse 2021 on December 4, on the new moon day of Krishna Paksha of Margashirsha month. Some people in the Southern Hemisphere will be lucky enough to experince the December 4 partial or total solar eclipse.

What is a total solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth, fully or partially blocking the Sun's light in some areas. A total solar eclipse happens when, the Sun, Moon, and Earth would be in a direct line.

During a total solar eclipse, people living in the region can see the Sun's corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun. According to NASA, the only place where this total solar eclipse can be seen is Antarctica.

Is Total Solar eclipse on December 4 visible in India?

Unfortunately, the much-awaited solar celestial event will not be visible in India. If weather permits, you can get a glimpse of solar eclipse eclipse from Union Glacier, Antarctica, that will be streamed on YouTube and on nasa.gov/live.

Parts of Saint Helena, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa, South Georgia and Sandwich Islands, Crozet Islands, Falkland Islands, Chile, New Zealand, and Australia will see a partial solar eclipse on Dec. 4.
The stream starts at 1:30 a.m. EST. Totality begins at 2:44 a.m. EST. The stream ends at 3:37 a.m. EST.

How to Safely Watch a Total or Partial Solar Eclipse

It is not safe to look directly at the Sun, even if the Sun is partly or mostly obscured. You must wear solar viewing or eclipse glasses while watching the sun during total solar eclipse.

Solar viewing or eclipses glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the Sun.

If you are in the path of a total solar eclipse, you can take off your solar viewing or eclipse glasses only when the Moon is completely blocking the Sun.

If you don't have solar viewing glasses, you can use a pinhole projector. Pinhole projectors shouldn't be used to look directly at the Sun, but instead to project sunlight onto a surface.

In October 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross North America. Then, just six months later, in April 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross the continent.