Eclipse Types
Total — Sun or Moon is fully covered — maximum intensity.
Annular — Moon is too far from Earth to fully cover the Sun, leaving a 'ring of fire'.
Partial — Only part of the disc is obscured.
Penumbral — Moon passes through Earth's faint outer shadow — subtle dimming, lunar only.
Why Visibility Matters
Vedic remedial measures (fasting, mantra, avoiding activity) are traditionally observed most strictly when the eclipse is visible from your own location — its energetic effect is considered strongest there. Eclipses not visible locally still carry astrological significance for chart analysis, but physical observances are less critical.
Rahu & Ketu
In Vedic astrology, eclipses are caused by the shadow planets Rahu (North Node) and Ketu (South Node) — the points where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic. An eclipse can only occur when Sun or Moon conjoins one of these nodes.
