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Total solar eclipse in April expected to last over five hours

"The eclipse will not be visible in Russia," the planetarium warned

MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. The peak of next month’s total eclipse of the Sun together with partial eclipses will be visible for more than five hours, the Moscow planetarium told TASS.

"The [next] total eclipse of the Sun will be on Monday, April 8. It will last over five hours, from 6:42 p.m. until 11:52 p.m. Moscow time (4:42 p.m. - 9:52 p.m. GMT - TASS)," the astronomers said. According to them, the peak phase (1029 magnitude) is expected to occur at 9:17 p.m. Moscow time and will last 4 minutes and 28 seconds, while the astronomical event will not be seen at all in Russia, they added.

Mexico will be the first and largest locality to experience totality on April 8, while the eclipse will also pass over the United States, Canada as well as some islands in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Stargazers in North, South and Central America, as well as water areas in the Pacific and the Atlantic and Western Europe will be able to view partial eclipses.

"The eclipse will not be visible in Russia," the planetarium warned.

Until April 18, the Sun will be on a path to the constellation Pisces before moving on to Aries. Next month, daytime will increase from 13 hours and 6 minutes on April 1 to 15 hours and 16 minutes on April 30.