A total solar eclipse will take place on April 8 between 9:23 pm and 2:22 am IST in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Google marked the eclipse—which will cause a moment of complete darkness in several countries—with a special animation, leaving internet users intrigued. The animation can be viewed by typing ‘solar eclipse’ in Google search. This will begin with a graphic depicting the moon passing between the sun and the Earth, causing a moment of total darkness. To view the animation, users can type—‘April 8 eclipse’, ‘eclipse 2024’, ‘solar eclipse’, ‘solar eclipse 2024’, and ‘total solar eclipse’. There are at least two to five solar eclipses in a year. However, a total eclipse occurs once in every 18 months, with a particular spot on Earth witnessing the phenomenon only once in 400 years. How to watch the total solar eclipse online? The total solar eclipse will not be visible in India, however, a partial eclipse can be viewed by Spain, Colombia, Ireland, Venezuela, Portal, the United Kingdom, Iceland and a few Caribbean countries. Besides, the official handle of NASA will stream the event live from 10:30 PM IST on April 8 to 1:30 AM IST on April 9. Is it safe to look directly at total solar eclipse with naked eye? Speaking to indianexpress.com, Dr Samir Sud, co-founder and director of Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals, shared about hidden dangers and offered safe alternatives for experiencing this celestial phenomenon. “Just like focusing sunlight with a magnifying glass can start a fire, focusing it on your retina can burn it,” he said.
