The first Surya Grahan or Solar Eclipse of the year is going to occur on June 21, 2020. This will be an annular solar eclipse where the moon comes in between the earth and the sun leaving the sun’s visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” or annulus around the moon.
An annular solar eclipse happens when it is New Moon — the moon is at a lunar node, so the earth, the moon, and the sun are aligned in a straight line.
The moon is near its farthest point from Earth, called apogee, so the outer edge of the sun remains visible as a ring of sunlight.
The annular solar eclipse of June 2020 will start at 9:15 am on June 21 as per Indian Standard Timing (IST). The full eclipse will start from 10:17 am with the maximum eclipse occurring at 12:10 pm.
There are between two and five solar eclipses every year, two lunar eclipses have already occurred in January and June. The upcoming solar eclipse is on June 21 is the third eclipse of the year.
Surya Grahan 2020 Sutak timings
- Sutak for adults begins at 9:52 PM on June 20 and ends at 1:49 PM on June 21.
- Sutak for children, senior citizens and those who are ill starts from 5:24 AM to 1:49 PM on June 21.
Surya Grahan Timings in India on June 21
- Grahan starts at 10:20 AM
- The maximum Grahan will be at 12:02 PM
- The Grahan shall end at 01:49 PM
Surya Grahan timings in different cities of India
| City | Start Time | End Time |
| New Delhi | 10:20 | 13:49 |
| Mumbai | 10:01 | 13:28 |
| Hyderabad | 10:15 | 13:34 |
| Bangalore | 10:13 | 13:32 |
| Chennai | 10:22 | 13:42 |
| Kolkata | 10:46 | 14:17 |
| Pune | 10:03 | 13:31 |
| Surat | 10:03 | 13:31 |
| Jaipur | 10:15 | 13:34 |
| Ahmedabad | 10:04 | 13:32 |
| Kanpur | 10:25 | 13:57 |
| Patna | 10:37 | 14:10 |
| Dehradun | 10:24 | 13:51 |
| Shimla | 10:23 | 13:48 |
| Tehri | 10:25 | 13:52 |
| Ludhiana | 10:21 | 13:45 |
| Agra | 10:20 | 13:51 |
| Sirsa | 10:17 | 13:43 |
| Nagpur | 10:18 | 13:51 |
| Indore | 10:11 | 13:42 |
| Bhopal | 10:15 | 13:47 |
When is the next solar eclipse in 2020?
A total solar eclipse will occur on December 14, 2020.
Hence, the second and last solar eclipse of the year 2020 will occur on December 14.
Solar Eclipse of June 21, 2020: Solar eclipse vs lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipse and solar eclipse are events when the sun, moon and earth are aligned in a straight line (3 celestial bodies form a straight line).
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is in between the earth and the sun. Whereas, a lunar eclipse occurs when the earth is between the sun and the moon.
What to do and not to do during Surya Grahan?
Dos
- Stay indoors.
- Pregnant women must take the utmost care of themselves.
- Put the curtains of doors/windows to prevent sun rays from entering during the time of Grahan.
- Add blades of the Darbha or Kusha grass or Tulsi leaves to the utensils containing food grains and water bottles before the Grahan starts.
- Chant Mantras dedicated to, the Sun God (Surya Devta)
- Chant the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra.
- Take a shower after the eclipse gets over.
- Clean the house and purify it with a Gangajal.
- Offer your prayers to the Lord and then break the fast.
Don’ts
- Do not look at the sun with the naked eye. One must avoid seeing the sun.
- Pregnant women must not sleep or do any activity during this period. They must not hold any sharp object like a pin or a needle.
- Do not consume food or water during the Sutak period.
- Do not eat leftover food of the previous day
- Do not light the stove or cook during the eclipse
- Do not eat anything until you take a bath after the Grahan is over.
- Do not do any auspicious activity like signing a new project or initiating a new venture during the time of Grahan.
How to watch the solar eclipse of June 21, 2020
Watching the eclipse with the naked eye can cause serious damage to the eyes. Projecting the sun through a box projector, or projecting using binoculars or telescope is a safe and easy way to view a solar eclipse.
Glasses to watch the solar eclipse
According to dateandtime.com, “NASA recommends welder’s glasses rated 14 or higher.” You can find these glasses at your local welding supply store.
But you need to keep in mind that welder glass grading may be different in different countries.
Effects of the solar eclipse on humans
The solar eclipse will obviously have an impact on the zodiac signs, numerology, and astronomy. Apart from it, you may feel lethargic or tired.
How often does a solar eclipse happen
Every year between 2 and 5 solar eclipses occur, each one visible only in a limited area. So, mostly calendar years have 2 solar eclipses. The maximum number of solar eclipses that can take place in the same year is 5, but this is rare.
“According to NASA calculations, only about 25 years in the past 5,000 years have had 5 solar eclipses. The last time this happened was in 1935, and the next time will be in 2206.”
The third lunar eclipse of the year is expected to fall on July 5, 2020.
