Solar Eclipse 2020 in Pakistan: Here’s all you need to know about Suraj Grahan of June 21

A solar eclipse, or suraj grahan as it is known in Pakistan, will occur today morning with many cities in Pakistan set to view the phenomenon.

According to the the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Climate Data Processing Centre, "an annular solar eclipse happens when the moon covers the sun's centre, leaving the sun's visible outer edges to form a 'ring of fire' or annulus around the moon".

The partial eclipse will begin at 08:46am local time and end at 2:34pm with the greatest eclipse occuring at 11:40am, according to the PMD.

Information provided in the statement indicated that people living in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Sukkur, and Gwadar could witness the eclipse at various partial levels, with only those in Sukkur to see the annular eclipse in almost its entirety — with a solar coverage of 98.78%.

Gilgit would have the least solar coverage in the eclipse, at 74.88%, the centre added.

The PMD noted that apart from Pakistan, the solar eclipse would also be visible in parts of Africa — including the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Ethiopia — as well as India and China.