Eclipses in 2026
Times are local clock times for New Delhi (GMT+5:30).
Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan)
Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Not visible from New Delhi — the Moon’s shadow does not reach here.
Greatest eclipse worldwide at 5:42 pm (your clock), magnitude 0.963, seen best near 64.7°S, 86.7°E.
Sutak: not observed in New Delhi, as the eclipse is not visible here.
Falls in Kumbha (Aquarius) rashi, Dhanishta nakshatra. By tradition, people whose Moon sign or birth nakshatra is this one are asked to take a little extra care — rest, prayer or quiet chanting. It is a custom, not a prediction.
Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan)
Tuesday, 3 March 2026
Visible from New Delhi: 6:25 pm – 6:47 pm
The Moon rises with the eclipse already in progress.
Eclipse phases Penumbral phase begins 2:14 pm Moon below horizon Partial phase begins 3:20 pm Moon below horizon Total phase begins 4:34 pm Moon below horizon Greatest eclipse 5:03 pm Moon below horizon Total phase ends 5:32 pm Moon below horizon Partial phase ends 6:47 pm Moon up Penumbral phase ends 7:53 pm Moon up Umbral magnitude 1.151 · Penumbral magnitude 2.184
Sutak: 9:25 am – 6:47 pm
3 prahars (about 9 hours) before the eclipse is first visible here, until it ends. Relaxed for children, the elderly and the sick.
Falls in Simha (Leo) rashi, Purva Phalguni nakshatra. By tradition, people whose Moon sign or birth nakshatra is this one are asked to take a little extra care — rest, prayer or quiet chanting. It is a custom, not a prediction.
Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan)
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Not visible from New Delhi — it happens while it is night-time here.
Greatest eclipse worldwide at 11:15 pm (your clock), magnitude 1.039, seen best near 65.2°N, 25.2°W.
Sutak: not observed in New Delhi, as the eclipse is not visible here.
Falls in Karka (Cancer) rashi, Ashlesha nakshatra. By tradition, people whose Moon sign or birth nakshatra is this one are asked to take a little extra care — rest, prayer or quiet chanting. It is a custom, not a prediction.
Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan)
Friday, 28 August 2026
Not visible from New Delhi — the Moon is below the horizon during the eclipse.
Eclipse phases Penumbral phase begins 6:54 am Moon below horizon Partial phase begins 8:04 am Moon below horizon Greatest eclipse 9:43 am Moon below horizon Partial phase ends 11:22 am Moon below horizon Penumbral phase ends 12:31 pm Moon below horizon Umbral magnitude 0.929 · Penumbral magnitude 1.964
Sutak: not observed in New Delhi, as the eclipse is not visible here.
Falls in Kumbha (Aquarius) rashi, Shatabhisha nakshatra. By tradition, people whose Moon sign or birth nakshatra is this one are asked to take a little extra care — rest, prayer or quiet chanting. It is a custom, not a prediction.
About Sutak
Sutak is the period before an eclipse when many families avoid cooking, eating, starting new work and temple worship. By the common rule it begins 4 prahars (about 12 hours) before a solar eclipse and 3 prahars (about 9 hours) before a lunar eclipse, and ends when the eclipse ends.
It is kept only where the eclipse can be seen. Here it is counted from the moment the eclipse is first visible in your city (for example at moonrise if the Moon rises already eclipsed) until it is last visible. Penumbral lunar eclipses are traditionally not observed, so no Sutak is shown for them.
For children, the elderly, the sick and pregnant women the rules are customarily relaxed — often to only the last few hours before the eclipse. Regional practice varies; some almanacs measure prahars from that day’s sunrise and sunset, so their Sutak start can differ by up to an hour.
Never look at the Sun directly, even when it is mostly covered — use certified eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector. A lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye.
How these are calculated
Sun and Moon positions are computed from standard astronomical series; lunar eclipses use the Earth’s shadow with the 1% atmospheric enlargement NASA uses, and solar eclipses are worked out from the Sun and Moon as seen from your city. For 2019–2030 every eclipse date, type and magnitude matches NASA’s catalogue, contact times agree within about 20 seconds, and New Delhi times agree with Drik Panchang within 1–2 minutes (Drik uses a slightly smaller shadow for lunar eclipses).