The final eclipse of 2025 will be a partial solar eclipse, beginning at 9:59 PM on September 21 and ending at 3:23 AM. This celestial event will be most visible in New Zealand, Fiji, Antarctica, and Australia. To commemorate the occasion, Google has created a special animation. Users can see an animation of a solar eclipse by searching for "Solar Eclipse" or "Surya Grahan". The animation depicts the Moon's shadow blocking the Sun's path, showcasing what a solar eclipse looks like.
Understanding Solar eclipses
According to NASA, an eclipse happens when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align. A solar eclipse specifically occurs during a new moon, when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth.
Why doesn't Solar eclipse happen every month
While a new moon occurs approximately once a month, a solar eclipse doesn't happen with the same frequency. This is because the Moon's orbit is tilted by about five degrees relative to the Earth and Sun's plane. As a result, the Moon usually passes above or below the Sun, and its shadow misses Earth. Solar eclipses are only possible during specific times of the year, known as "eclipse seasons," when the new moon's orbit aligns with the Earth-Sun plane.
Eclipse come in pair
Eclipses often come in pairs, occurring roughly two weeks apart. A solar eclipse is typically followed or preceded by a lunar eclipse within a single fortnight.
For example, the total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, 2025, was followed by a partial solar eclipse on March 29. Similarly, six full moons later, a total lunar eclipse occurred on September 7, 2025 and it will be followed by a partial solar eclipse two weeks later on September 21.
This pattern continues into 2026, with an annular solar eclipse on February 17, followed by a total lunar eclipse on March 3.
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