Eclipse = covering of Sun or Moon's radiance. Solar eclipse (Suryagrahan) — on Amavasya, when Moon comes between Sun and Earth. Lunar eclipse (Chandragrahan) — on Purnima, when Earth comes between Sun and Moon. In mythological story Rahu-Ketu swallow Sun-Moon — in astronomy shadow of Earth or Moon.
In this article we provide accurate dates, times (IST), visibility-areas, sutak-period and religious beliefs of all 2026 solar/lunar eclipses. Plus rules for pregnant women, temple-darshan, food and puja.
✦ All Eclipses 2026 — Complete Table
Total 4 eclipses in 2026 — 2 solar + 2 lunar. This year extremely important from eclipse-perspective because August 2026 solar-eclipse will be total-eclipse in northern hemisphere.
1) Total Lunar Eclipse — 3 March 2026 (Tuesday) — Phalguna-Purnima (day after Holika-dahan). Time: Night 10:30 PM (IST) to 02:36 AM. Visibility: Asia, Australia, Americas, Pacific Ocean. Partially visible in India. Sutak: starts 9 hours before eclipse.
2) Annular Solar Eclipse — 17 February 2026 (Tuesday) — Magh-Amavasya. Time: Afternoon 03:43 PM (IST) to 06:25 PM. Visibility: Antarctica, Southern Africa. Invisible in India — therefore sutak not applicable.
3) Total Solar Eclipse — 12 August 2026 (Wednesday) — Shravan-Amavasya. Time: Night 08:34 PM (IST) to 11:09 PM. Visibility: North America, Europe (total in Iceland, Spain, northern Russia). Invisible in India — sutak not applicable.
4) Partial Lunar Eclipse — 28 August 2026 (Friday) — Shravan-Purnima (11 days after Rakshabandhan). Time: Morning 09:36 AM (IST) to 11:06 AM. Visibility: Most of Americas, Pacific Ocean. Invisible in India — sutak not applicable.
✦ Religious Significance of Solar Eclipse
Mythological story (samudra-manthan, Bhagavata Purana): During amrit-distribution Rahu deceptively drank amrit. Sun-Moon recognized and told Vishnu. Vishnu cut Rahu's head with Sudarshan-chakra. But due to amrit-paan head-torso immortal. Head — Rahu, torso — Ketu. Both considered Sun-Moon as enemies — swallow them on Purnima-Amavasya — eclipse.
Astronomy: Solar eclipse when Moon comes between Sun and Earth (only possible on Amavasya). Total eclipse — Moon completely covers Sun (rare — few minutes). Partial — partially hides. Annular — Moon appears smaller than Sun, ring of Sun in middle.
Sutak-rules (solar eclipse): Sutak starts 12 hours before eclipse, until eclipse ends. Temple doors closed, idol-touch forbidden in sutak-period. Cooking/eating forbidden (children, sick, pregnant exempt in special cases). Tulsi-leaves added in milk-curd to prevent contamination. Bath, house-purification, daan-punya at eclipse-end.
✦ Religious Significance of Lunar Eclipse
Lunar eclipse = Moon's grasping by Ketu (spiritual). Astronomy — Earth's shadow falls on Moon (only on Purnima). Moon appears blood-red (Blood Moon) in total lunar eclipse — blue light filters through Earth's atmosphere and red reaches (Rayleigh scattering).
Sutak-rules (lunar eclipse): Sutak starts 9 hours before eclipse. Rules same as solar — temple closed, food forbidden. Lunar eclipse has more effect on weak mind (manas) — special importance of meditation, mantra-jap.
For pregnant women: don't go outside during eclipse (rays may affect fetus — traditional belief). Don't cut anything with knife-scissors (mark/cut on baby — traditional belief). Place small clay-pot on stomach. Bath after eclipse, donate old clothes.
✦ What to Do in Eclipse — Daan, Mantra, Meditation
Do during eclipse: Gayatri-mantra, Maha-Mrityunjay-mantra, Ishta-dev mantra-jap — 1000 times more fruitful than ordinary. Hari-naam-smaran. Bath in holy-river (Ganga, Yamuna). Daan — sesame, jaggery, clothes, grains, cow (best). Meditation. Quiet contemplation.
Mantra-jap: In solar eclipse "Om Ghrini Suryaya Namah" (1008 times). In lunar eclipse "Om Som Somaya Namah" (1008 times). For Rahu-Ketu shanti — "Om Raam Rahave Namah", "Om Kem Ketave Namah" (108 times). Sri-Sukta, Hanuman-Chalisa.
At eclipse-end: Immediate bath (cold water best). House-purification — sprinkle Gangajal. Throw old cooked food. Make new-fresh food. Can use tulsi-leaved milk-curd. Water-offering to Peepal-tree.
✦ What NOT to Do During Eclipse
Don't do: 1) Don't see solar eclipse with naked eye (blindness risk — Solar Retinopathy). See only with special Solar Filter glasses or pinhole-projection. 2) Don't eat food (sick, children, elderly, pregnant exempt). 3) Don't start new work (marriage, griha-pravesh, yajna). 4) Don't sleep (tamasic tendency increases). 5) Don't touch idol.
6) Sexual relations forbidden (avoid conception). 7) Don't look in mirror. 8) Don't cut anything with scissors, knife, needle. 9) Don't prepare oily, spicy-heavy food. 10) Don't eat anything without bath after eclipse.
✦ Eclipse and Rashi-Phal
3 March 2026 lunar eclipse (Kanya-rashi, Purva-Phalguni nakshatra): Auspicious — Mesh, Mithun, Vrishchik, Makar. Moderate — Vrishabh, Singh, Karka, Kumbh. Inauspicious — Kanya, Dhanu, Meen (remedies needed).
17 February 2026 solar eclipse (Kumbh-rashi, Dhanishtha nakshatra): Auspicious — Mesh, Mithun, Singh, Dhanu. Moderate — Vrishabh, Karka, Kanya, Tula. Inauspicious — Kumbh, Vrishchik, Makar, Meen.
Inauspicious-rashi do remedies: eclipse-day vrat, Hanuman-Chalisa 11 times, Rahu-Ketu-shanti-paath, jaggery-chana to cow, blanket-clothes-daan to poor, peepal-puja.
📚Sources & References
Content in this article is verified against the following classical and modern authoritative sources. Readers may independently verify against the original sources.
- ▪NASA Eclipse Web Site — comprehensive global eclipse data
- ▪Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 8, mythological account of Rahu-Ketu and eclipses
- ▪Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus (Willmann-Bell, 1998) — basis for all astronomical computations on this site
- ▪Lahiri Ayanamsa — standard sidereal reference adopted by the Indian Calendar Reform Committee (1955)
✦ Frequently Asked Questions
Will eclipse be visible in India in 2026?▼
Of 4 eclipses in 2026, only 1 will be visible in India — 3 March 2026 lunar eclipse (partially, at moonset). Other 3 eclipses invisible from India — therefore sutak not applicable from religious perspective. (Belief: eclipse not visible doesn't have sutak.)
Should sutak of invisible eclipse be observed?▼
Shastra-vachan: "Grahan-darshanat sutakam" — where eclipse visible, sutak there. Sutak of invisible-eclipse not considered. But some sadhakas believe — scientifically eclipse is universal. Best — ask temple/home priest. Most panchangs — give sutak only for India-visible eclipses.
What should pregnant women do during eclipse?▼
Traditional rule: stay inside during eclipse-period. Don't cut anything with knife-scissors-needle (belief — mark on baby). Place small clay/cowdung pot on stomach. Do mantra-jap — "Om Namo Narayanaya" or "Om Namah Shivaya". Bath after eclipse and donate something to brahmin. Modern-scientific view — no physical harm from eclipse, follow rules for mental-peace.
How can we view solar eclipse with eyes?▼
Never view with naked eye — risk of permanent blindness (Solar Retinopathy). Only by these methods: 1) ISO 12312-2 certified Solar Eclipse Glasses 2) Welder's Helmet (#14 or higher) 3) Pinhole projection (make hole in paper see shadow) 4) Solar Filter in Telescope/Binocular. Ordinary sunglasses, X-ray film, smoked-glass — all insufficient.
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Note: This content is published for educational and cultural reference. For personal religious or astrological decisions, please consult a qualified pandit or jyotishi.