Final solar eclipse of 2025: Why it's a must-see event for skywatchers

Dubai: September 2025 is shaping up to be a spectacular month for skywatchers, with two major celestial events taking center stage. The month kicked off with a lunar eclipse on September 7, painting the moon in crimson hues for viewers around the world. Just 15 days later, another rare spectacle will occur: a solar eclipse. The final solar eclipse of the year will take place on September 21, 2025.

This event will be a partial solar eclipse, where the moon will partially obscure the sun, creating a crescent shape in the sky. This particular eclipse is being called the 'equinox eclipse' since it happens just before the September equinox. During the equinox, the Sun is directly over Earth's equator, leading to nearly equal daylight and nighttime hours across the globe.

If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, you're in for a treat. The eclipse will be visible during sunrise in regions like New Zealand, eastern Australia, and parts of the South Pacific. In places like Dunedin, up to 72 per cent of the sun will be covered. Observers in Antarctica can expect an even more dramatic view.

Unfortunately, the partial eclipse will not be visible here in the UAE or in most of the Northern Hemisphere. Unlike the widely seen lunar eclipse that recently captured the public's attention, observers in countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, and North and South America will not be able to see any phase of this solar eclipse.

The eclipse will begin on September 21, with its peak occurring around 19:43 UTC (Universal Time Coordinated). These timings translate to the early morning hours for those in southern regions who will see the sunrise eclipse.