Last solar eclipse of 2023 to dazzle skies today
A larger part of the Americas will still witness a captivating celestial show
October 14, 2023
Months after 2023 witnessed its first solar eclipse in May which also was deemed a hybrid solar eclipse, the world is set to witness its third and final solar eclipse on October 14 and 15 of this year.
An "annular solar eclipse" occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun at a time when the moon is at or close to its farthest point from our planet. It does not completely obscure the face of the sun, unlike in a total solar eclipse.
Eclipses only occur occasionally because the moon doesn't orbit in the exact same plane as the sun and Earth, according to Nasa.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has also confirmed that the phenomenon is set to take place tonight, stating that the eclipse will start at night and end right after midnight on October 15 as per Pakistan Standard Time (PST). However, the eclipse will not be visible in Pakistan.
The different phases of solar eclipse will occur at:
- Eclipse begins at 20:04 PST on October 14
- Total eclipse will occur at 21:10 PST on October 14
- Eclipse will peak at 22:59 PST on October 14
- Ends at 00:49 PST on October 15
According to Nasa, the eclipse in the US will start at 9:13am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) (12:13 pm EDT/1613 GMT) in Oregon, the eclipse's path will traverse several states in the US, including California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Crossing into Mexico, the eclipse will be visible in parts of the Yucatán peninsula in southwestern Mexico and several Central American countries including Belize, Honduras, and Panama.
While the maximum obscuring of the sun will occur along this path, a larger part of the Americas will still witness a captivating celestial show.
The statement by the PMD added that the solar eclipse will then "sweep across central Colombia, and a large stretch of northern Brazil before coming to an end in the Atlantic Ocean, just off Natal, Brazil".
The next time the earth will witness a total solar eclipse is April 8, 2024, and has been dubbed "The Great North American Eclipse" as it will be visible throughout North and Central America, according to Space.com.
