The upcoming year is going to be exciting for skywatchers. The year 2024 will see two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses.
When the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and the Moon's shadow is cast on Earth, a solar eclipse or surya grahan takes place.
When the Earth comes between the Sun and Moon - with all three bodies lying on the same orbit plane - the Sun casts Earth's shadow onto the Moon and a Lunar Eclipse or Chandra Grahan takes place.
A total solar eclipse will take place on April 8. The total eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
The second solar eclipse of the year will be an Annular one and will take place on October 2. An Annular Solar Eclipse occurs when the New Moon moves in front of the Sun, but does not cover the Sun's disk completely, thus showing a ring of fire.
A penumbral lunar eclipse will take place on March 25. It will be visible in much of Europe, Australia and Africa, North/East Asia, North America, South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Antarctica.
The second Lunar Eclipse will be on September 18 and it will be a Partial lunar eclipse. People in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North/West North America, North/East South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, the Arctic, and Antarctica can witness it.
The eclipses will not be visible from India but one can watch online. Several YouTube channels livestream it on their respective channels.