Solar Eclipse 2020: Date, Time And Food Myths During The Eclipse

Bring out the astronomy whiz within you, as India is all geared up to witness the first solar eclipse of the year. Solar eclipse 2020 is slated to occur on Sunday, June 21. The event takes place when the moon comes between the Earth and the Sun and the three objects are aligned in a single straight line. The moon is in the farthest orbit away from the Earth, which means that it will not be able to cover the sun completely. This will cause the outermost rim of the sun to be visible in the eclipse, which will form a 'ring of fire' during the solar eclipse.

India to witness solar eclipse on June 21— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 15, 2020

Solar Eclipse 2020: Date And Time Of The Eclipse

The solar eclipse scheduled to take place on June 21, 2020, will be visible from certain African countries, Pakistan, India and China. Here are the timings of the solar eclipse 2020 in India as per timeanddate.com.

First location to see the partial eclipse begin - 09:15:58

First location to see the full eclipse begin - 10:17:45

Maximum Eclipse - 12:10:04

Last location to see the full eclipse end - 14:02:17

Last location to see the partial eclipse end - 15:04:01

Solar Eclipse 2020: Significance Of The 'Ring Of Fire'

This special solar eclipse is significant for more reasons than one. Firstly, the 'ring of fire' is a unique celestial occurrence. At its maximum, the moon will cover up to 99.4% of the sun making it almost similar to a total solar eclipse as per the NASA. Further, the solar eclipse 2020 is coincidentally on the same day as the summer solstice, that is on 21st June, which marks the longest day in the year. This is the first time since 1938 that both events are happening on the same day. The next year when these two days will coincide is in the year 2039.

???? Did you know there's an 'annular solar eclipse' on 21 June?

(???? this pic of an annular solar eclipse was taken near Madrid in 2005) pic.twitter.com/qtFRY1EMHw— ESA (@esa) June 18, 2020

What To Eat On Surya Grahan 2020

It is a commonly heard myth that food and water should be avoided during the period that the solar eclipse is occurring. Scientists continuously shun these myths as they are taboo practices prevailing over time. Nutritionist and macrobiotic health coach Shilpa Arora believes that this is a time to simply sit back and relax your body, mind as well as your digestive system. "This is a very high energy period and vibrations are very strong. The solar eclipse especially is a time to connect with oneself meditate or just be relaxed," she said.

It is needless to say that food also plays a vital role in the quest for relaxation. Since the solar eclipse will occur on Sunday morning, it is likely that we would be eating food or would already have finished eating. However, Shilpa Arora suggests that eating light during the eclipse may actually be a good idea. "Think of eating light liquids, shakes or juices to give your body rest. You will be surprised with the benefits and mental clarity especially when the vibrational energy of the earth is high," suggests Arora.