The first eclipse of the year will be an annular solar eclipse, set to begin on February 17 at 13:56 and conclude at 18:27, AzerNEWS reports citing the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory.
The maximum phase of the eclipse will occur at 16:12. The phenomenon will be observed primarily over Antarctica. As the type of eclipse depends on the observer's location, it will also be visible in countries including Argentina, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Seychelles, Mozambique, Chile, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Mauritius, Réunion, and Lesotho, among others.
Eclipses occur when the Earth or the Moon passes in front of the Sun, partially or completely blocking its light. The angle between the orbital planes of the Earth and the Moon differs by just 5°09'.
An eclipse takes place when the new Moon or full Moon phase aligns with the orbital nodes. For a solar eclipse to occur, the apparent angular sizes of the Moon and the Sun in the sky must also be nearly identical.
During a solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, preventing sunlight from reaching parts of the Earth's surface.
As a result, the Moon’s shadow falls on specific regions, and the eclipse is observed. Solar eclipses occur only during the new Moon phase and are classified as total, annular, partial, or hybrid depending on the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
The maximum duration of a total solar eclipse is approximately seven minutes, as the area covered by the Moon’s shadow on Earth is relatively small. As an observer moves from the umbra to the penumbra, the percentage of the Sun's disk covered by the Moon decreases, resulting in a partial rather than a total eclipse.
The degree of coverage in a partial eclipse also depends on the observer's geographic location.
This eclipse will not be visible from Azerbaijan. The next eclipse will be a total lunar eclipse on March 3.
