The partial eclipse of the Sun will peak in the Eastern Hemisphere this Saturday, January 5, and Sunday, January 6. The eclipse will not be visible from the UK but will be seen by millions of people from Russia down to Thailand. Soon after the eclipse wraps up, a total lunar eclipse will grace the night skies in the Western Hemisphere part of the globe. The so-called Blood Moon eclipse will appear in the early morning skies on January 21, peaking over the US, South America and the westernmost parts of Europe.
First, however, a portion of the Sun will disappear behind the darkened disc of the Moon this weekend.
On the day of the partial eclipse, the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, biting into the glowing face of the burning star.
This will result in a substantial portion of the Sun seemingly vanishing but without completely disappearing like it does during a total eclipse.
During the so-called maximum eclipse, or when the Moon reaches its optimal position, as much as 40 percent of the Sun will be obscured.
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The most optimally placed nations to see the eclipse are in the North Pacific and East Asia regions.
These include Beijing in China, Irkutsk in Russia, Tokyo in Japan and Taipei in Taiwan.
All of these countries will be in the dayside of Earth when the eclipse unfolds.
Click here to read more about where exactly the eclipse will be visible this weekend.
Maritime astronomer Bruce McClure of EarthSky.org said: “The January 6, 2019, partial solar eclipse starts at sunrise in Asia, then travels rapidly eastward for roughly 4.25 hours, finally ending sunset in the Aleutian islands extending from Alaska.”
He said: “Because the first solar eclipse comes so early in the year in 2019, that leaves enough time for a third solar eclipse to occur before the end of the year in 2019.
“Twelve 12 lunar months – 12 full moons – after this year’s first solar eclipse falls with the full moon, and lunar eclipse, of December 26, 2019.
“One fortnight , or one-half lunar month, following the year’s final eclipse on 2019 December 26 will bring about the first eclipse of 2020 on January 10, 2020.
“But since this eclipse will be a difficult-to-see penumbral eclipse of the moon, chances are that it’ll pass without any fanfare.”