In April 2023, a rare hybrid eclipse will take place. It's a combination of the three types of eclipses: partial, annular, and total.
Hybrid eclipses are rare astronomical phenomena that take place once a decade on average. Out of 224 solar eclipses in this century, only 7 are hybrid.
The hybrid eclipse of 2023 will take place on April 20 and will be visible from western Australia, East Timor, and eastern Indonesia.
The entire eclipse will last about five and a half hours. It will transition from annular to total and back again at two specific points, but both are in remote locations at sea.
Just before and after totality, observers can witness a breathtaking view of Baily's beads, which are the final glimpses of sunlight that filter through the valleys of the Moon. These beads can be seen both before the totality and as it ends.
In a hybrid solar eclipse, the duration of Baily's beads is prolonged since the Moon nearly matches the Sun in apparent size.