Representative image (Photo Credit: UnSplash)
Skywatchers are all set to witness one of the biggest celestial phenomena of 2024 - the total Solar Eclipse - on April 8 (Sunday). A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in America, "The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk." The Agency further states that the total solar eclipse of 2024 will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. However, India will not be able to witness the celestial phenomenon.
How Is Total Solar Eclipse Different? What Makes Total Solar Eclipse A Rare Phenomenon?
According to NASA, there are four types of solar eclipses - annual solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse, hybrid solar eclipse, and total solar eclipse. Usually, when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, the three celestial bodies don't line up properly, and as a result, the Moon doesn't block the Sun completely. However, as per the agency, in a total solar eclipse, the Moon, Sun, and Earth come into the same alignment, completely blocking the Sun. It is also considered a rare sight because the orbit of the Moon is not a perfect circle around the Earth; hence, it doesn't usually orbit Earth in the same plane as Earth orbits the Sun.
Total Solar Eclipse Timings:
As per NASA, the Pacific coast of Mexico will experience totality first, around 11:07 am PDT, and the occurrence will leave Maine at around 1:30 pm PDT. According to the Indian Standard Time (IST), the total solar eclipse will begin at 9:12 pm on April 8, 2024, and will end on April 9, 2024, at 2:22 am.
Surya Grahan Food Myths And Facts: 3 Major Food Facts To Remember During Solar Eclipse:
Myth 1. Avoid eating completely:
People often fast during grahan (eclipse), with a belief that negative vibrations during that time contaminate food. Clinical nutritionist Rupali Datta debunks the notion and states, "Do not go berserk over food during eclipses. In fact, there's no harm in having light meals during the solar eclipse.".
Myth 2. Throw away cooked food after the eclipse:
Many people throw away all the leftover cooked meals after eclipses, fearing food contamination. Speaking about the theory, NASA states that if the radiation during the eclipse affects food, then it has to be the same for the grocery in your pantry and the crops in the fields. The agency further explains that if food gets contaminated accidentally during the eclipse, it is not the phenomenon that is to be blamed.
Myth 3. Practice dietary restrictions:
Debunking the myth, nutritionist and macrobiotic health coach Shilpa Arora states that the eclipse is a high-energy period when the vibrations are very strong. "The solar eclipse especially is a time to connect with oneself, meditate, or just be relaxed, and food plays a major role in it," she explains, adding that one should indulge in light meals and fluids and give the brain and body a complete rest.