Why Bangladesh will miss the 12 August solar eclipse
Nearly one billion people are expected to see at least a partial eclipse, while much of the world's population, including Bangladesh, will remain under an "ordinary sky"
A major solar eclipse will cross parts of the Northern Hemisphere on Wednesday, with the moon's shadow passing over Greenland, Iceland and Spain, but people in Bangladesh will not be able to see it.
Nearly one billion people are expected to see at least a partial eclipse, while much of the world's population, including Bangladesh, will remain under an "ordinary sky".
Where the eclipse will be visible
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A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking some or all of the sun's light. Depending on the alignment, an eclipse can be partial, total, annular or hybrid, says Al Jazeera.
On 12 August, the path of totality will stretch from the Arctic across Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain. In those areas, the sun will be completely blocked for up to two minutes and 18 seconds.
A partial eclipse will be visible across large parts of Western Europe, including London and Paris, as well as parts of northwestern Africa. Portions of North America, including Alaska and areas of the northeastern United States and Canada, will also see the moon cover part of the sun.
Bangladesh lies outside the eclipse's visibility zone, meaning no part of the event will be visible from the country.
When will Bangladesh see its next eclipse?
The next solar eclipse visible from Dhaka is expected on 2 August 2027. It will be a minor partial eclipse, with only about 3.3% of the sun covered.
The eclipse's maximum point in Dhaka is expected at 17:12:42 local time.
The event will be the first in a series of partial solar eclipses visible from Dhaka over the following two decades. None of the eclipses in that period will be total.
More significant eclipses ahead
While the 2027 eclipse will be relatively minor, several later eclipses will cover a larger portion of the sun as seen from Dhaka.
A partial eclipse on 21 May 2031 is expected to cover about 42% of the sun. The 2 September 2035 eclipse will have about 43% coverage.
The most significant eclipse in the near future is expected on 20 March 2034, when about 58% of the sun will be covered from Dhaka.
Another substantial partial eclipse is expected on 14 October 2042, with about 45% coverage.
Other eclipses visible from Dhaka during the period will be considerably smaller, with coverage ranging from about 1% to 18%.
Upcoming solar eclipses visible from Dhaka
| Date | Type | Coverage | Maximum time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 2027 | Partial | 3% | 17:12:42 |
| 1 June 2030 | Partial | 1% | 13:03:08 |
| 21 May 2031 | Partial | 42% | 14:14:41 |
| 3 November 2032 | Partial | 5% | 11:17:18 |
| 20 March 2034 | Partial | 58% | 18:00:57 |
| 2 September 2035 | Partial | 43% | 06:08:06 |
| 25 October 2041 | Partial | 5% | 06:04:37 |
| 20 April 2042 | Partial | 18% | 07:16:44 |
| 14 October 2042 | Partial | 45% | 05:59:38 |
| 26 January 2047 | Partial | 10% | 06:45:26 |
Thus, while the 12 August eclipse will be a major astronomical event for observers within its path, people in Bangladesh will have to wait until 2027 for their next opportunity to see a solar eclipse.
