When to see partial solar eclipse

A rare, once-in-a-decade hybrid solar eclipse will be visible from Australia tomorrow. Here’s the details and when we should be looking for it over South East Queensland.

According to the Federal Government’s Industry, Science and Resources department, Exmouth in Western Australia will be the only place in Australia to experience a total solar eclipse. The sun will be completely blocked out for 58 seconds and a partial eclipse will happen before and after this time.

The total eclipse will happen from 11:29:48am to 11:30:46am (AWST). The partial eclipse will occur from 10:04:31am to 1:02:34pm (AWST).

The rest of Australia will experience a partial solar eclipse.

We can expect to witness it in South East Queensland at 2:44:56pm (AEST), when 16 per cent of the sun will be covered.

According to the department, hybrid eclipses make up only about 3 per cent of all solar eclipses. The last hybrid eclipse anywhere in the world was on November 3, 2013. The next will occur on November 14, 2031.

Between two and five solar eclipses happen every year, casting shadows on different parts of Earth each time.

This event is the first, and shortest, of five eclipses that will happen over Australia in the next 15 years.

The next eclipse, on July 22, 2028, will be a total eclipse that cuts a path down from the Kimberley across to Sydney.

Please note: It is not safe to directly look at the sun, particularly during a partial solar eclipse or the partial phase of a total eclipse, without using proper eye protection.