New Delhi : After witnessing a Total Lunar Eclipse or Blood Moon, skygazers worldwide are in for another treat as the last solar eclipse of 2025 will grace the skies on Sunday night.
The last solar eclipse of 2025, scheduled for September 21, will appear as a partial eclipse and will not be visible from India. People in parts of Australia, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean may witness this celestial event.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow and blocking sunlight. During a partial eclipse, the Moon will obscure up to 85 per cent of the Sun in some locations.
During a partial eclipse, Earth’s shadow appears very dark on the side of the Moon facing Earth. Observers on Earth see a partial lunar eclipse depending on how the Sun, Earth, and Moon align.
The event will begin at 10:59 pm IST on Sunday night, reach its peak at 1:11 am IST on Monday, and end at 3:23 am IST.
In 2025, astronomers recorded four eclipses: two partial solar eclipses and two total lunar eclipses. The partial eclipse on Sunday night will be the second and final eclipse of the year.
It will occur a day before the autumnal equinox, the official start of fall in the northern hemisphere on September 22. Astronomers note that on this day, the Sun lies exactly above the equator.
On the equinox, Earth does not tilt toward or away from the Sun, giving nearly equal day and night durations of around 12 hours.
Looking ahead, astronomers plan the next solar eclipses on February 17 and August 12, 2026. These eclipses will also remain invisible from India, which will next witness a solar eclipse in August 2027.
