Eclipses in Varanasi 2026
Local circumstances of every solar and lunar eclipse of 2026 as seen from Varanasi: contact times in local time, the eclipsed luminary's altitude at each contact, obscuration, and the sutak window. Instants come from a high-accuracy astronomical search (Lahiri sidereal).
Observable from Varanasi = the eclipsed luminary is above your horizon during at least part of the umbral (partial or total) phase — the naked-eye eclipse. Altitudes are apparent (refraction-corrected) for the luminary's centre; a centre altitude of 0° still leaves the disc's upper limb roughly 0.8° up, so an eclipse grazing the horizon is genuinely visible.
Annular solar eclipse — 17 Feb, 17:41
Not observable from Varanasi — the eclipsed luminary stays below the horizon throughout the umbral phase.Sidereal position: 4°37′ Aquarius · Dhanishta
Total lunar eclipse — 3 Mar, 17:03
Observable from VaranasiSidereal position: 18°38′ Leo · Purva Phalguni · Obscuration at peak: 100%
The eclipsed luminary crosses the horizon during the eclipse (grastodaya / grastasta) — it rises or sets mid-eclipse, so only the part above the horizon is observable from Varanasi.
| Phase | Local time | Altitude | Phase type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penumbral begins | 3 Mar, 14:14 | -45.1° | penumbral |
| Partial begins | 3 Mar, 15:19 | -33.4° | umbral |
| Totality begins | 3 Mar, 16:33 | -18.5° | umbral |
| Maximum | 3 Mar, 17:03 | -12.3° | umbral |
| Totality ends | 3 Mar, 17:33 | -5.9° | umbral |
| Partial ends | 3 Mar, 18:47 | +9.6° | umbral |
| Penumbral ends | 3 Mar, 19:53 | +23.9° | penumbral |
Smarta reckoning (CONVENTION): sutak begins 4 prahar (~12 h, solar) or 3 prahar (~9 h, lunar) before sparsha — the first umbral contact — and ends at moksha, the last umbral contact; observed only where the eclipse is locally visible. A prahar is treated as a nominal ~3 hours. Vaishnava and regional reckonings differ on vedha and exemptions, some tables measure from a fixed clock-hour, and reduced-sutak concessions (children, the sick, the aged) exist. We pin the Smarta sparsha-based rule and show only the begin/end instants.
Sutak convention: Dharmasindhu / Nirnaya Sindhu — sources & methodology
Total solar eclipse — 12 Aug, 23:15
Not observable from Varanasi — the eclipsed luminary stays below the horizon throughout the umbral phase.Sidereal position: 25°48′ Cancer · Ashlesha
Partial lunar eclipse — 28 Aug, 09:42
Not observable from Varanasi — the eclipsed luminary stays below the horizon throughout the umbral phase.Sidereal position: 10°37′ Aquarius · Shatabhisha
| Phase | Local time | Altitude | Phase type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penumbral begins | 28 Aug, 06:53 | -18.1° | penumbral |
| Partial begins | 28 Aug, 08:03 | -33.3° | umbral |
| Maximum | 28 Aug, 09:42 | -54.3° | umbral |
| Partial ends | 28 Aug, 11:22 | -71.3° | umbral |
| Penumbral ends | 28 Aug, 12:32 | -72.1° | penumbral |
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Questions, answered
How many eclipses are observable from Varanasi in 2026?
1 of the 4 eclipses peaking in 2026 can be observed from Varanasi — the rest stay below the horizon during their umbral phase.
What is the first eclipse observable from Varanasi in 2026?
Total lunar eclipse — 3 Mar, 17:03, in sidereal Leo (Purva Phalguni nakshatra).
What is the sutak (eclipse) period?
Sutak is the smriti impurity window around a visible eclipse. Per the Smarta reckoning we cite, it begins ~12 h (solar) or ~9 h (lunar) before the first umbral contact and ends at the last, and applies only where the eclipse is visible.
How does each eclipse fall from YOUR Moon and Lagna? The free kundli relates every one to your chart.
Generate your free Kundli →Contact instants from a high-accuracy astronomical eclipse search; altitudes and obscuration are computed for Varanasi's coordinates. Sidereal placement uses the Lahiri ayanamsa.
Computed with the Lahiri ayanamsa (sidereal). Panchang values are anchored at the local sunrise. How we compute →