Rarest type of eclipse occurs this Thursday (20) – 04/19/2023 – Science

A solar eclipse expected to occur this Thursday (20) is a rarer type than those that normally occur. The event, however, cannot be observed from Brazil — it will be restricted to Oceania and, partially, to a portion of Southeast Asia.

There are usually two types of solar eclipse: total and annular. The first is when the Moon completely blocks the Sun, while the second occurs when coverage is partial and a part of the star is still visible.

In addition to these, there is the hybrid type, which can be defined as a combination of the other two. “Eclipse itself is not rare. Everyone says it is rare, but two happen a year. But this one that is hybrid, within solar eclipses, is relatively rare to happen”, explains Cássio Barbosa, astrophysicist at FEI.

On a NASA list of eclipses due by 2030, none, with the exception of Thursday’s one, are categorized as hybrids.

When the phenomenon is like this, depending on where the person is located, he can observe it as if it were a total or annulment, a variation that is explained due to the curvature of the Earth. But that’s for those who are within the so-called eclipse totality range, which is where the event has its maximum effect peak.

In the case of this eclipse, this band will be restricted to a small portion of Oceania, in parts of countries such as Australia and Papua New Guinea. The phenomenon also mainly encompasses the Indian Ocean.

The range that does not involve the full part of the event and, therefore, will not be able to experience the hybrid eclipse, includes a larger portion of Oceania and also Southeast Asia.

The scheduled time for the event to take place in its entirety is at 1 am this Thursday, Brasilia time. In Sydney, the capital of Australia, it will be around 2 pm.

From Brazil, it will not be possible to observe anything. But basically the entire population of the world will not make it through the experience. According to estimates, only about 0.004% of humanity will be able to witness the phenomenon in its entirety.