A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, either totally or partially.
In 2023, the world will witness two solar eclipses. One in April and another in October. While the first is a hybrid solar eclipse, the second one will be an annular solar eclipse.
The April 20 solar eclipse is a rare phenomenon. When there is a combination of an annular eclipse and a total solar eclipse, a hybrid solar eclipse occurs. The Sun in a hybrid eclipse, for a few seconds, forms a ring-like shape.
In 2023, the first solar eclipse will occur on April 20 from 7:04 am till 12:29 pm IST. This eclipse won't be visible from India, so sutak time won't be applicable here.
On October 14, the second and last solar eclipse of 2023 will occur. It will be visible from India.
According to NASA, when watching a partial or annular solar eclipse directly with your eyes, one must look through safe solar viewing glasses or eclipse glasses or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times.
There will be two lunar eclipses also in 2023. The first lunar eclipse of the year will occur on May 5, 2023. A Penumbral Eclipse, it won't be visible to the naked eye. The second lunar eclipse will occur on October 29. It will be a partial lunar eclipse.