The annular solar eclipse, often called the ‘Ring of Fire,’ will occur on Saturday (October 14) in the sky. It will be visible in most North, Central and South American countries for the first time since 2012. Furthermore, it will be the last solar eclipse to be visible from the US until 2039.
What is Annular Solar Eclipses or ‘Ring of Fire’?
Annular solar eclipses are like total solar eclipses, except the moon is at the farthest point in its orbit from Earth, so it can’t completely block the sun. Instead, the sun’s fiery light surrounds the moon’s shadow, creating the so-called ‘Ring of Fire’.
When and Where will the solar eclipse be visible?
Only the people in the western hemisphere would witness the eclipse. The eclipse will be seen in eight states across the southwest United States. The Ring of Fire’s direct path will be visible in parts of Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. Other parts of the U.S. will be able to view a partial eclipse but won’t have the ability to see the Ring of Fire in person.
It will also pass over Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, parts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil. A partial solar eclipse will be visible from Alaska to Argentina.
The Ring of Fire will be visible at slightly different starting times between the period of 9:19 a.m. and 9:25 a.m. PDT in Oregon, California and Nevada, depending on the viewer’s location. It will be visible between 10:27 a.m. and 10:34 a.m. MDT in Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. For viewers in Texas, the show begins at around 11:52 a.m. CDT.
The Ring of Fire is visible for only a few minutes depending on the location of the viewer, and the view is dependent on the weather.
Where to watch the annular solar eclipse 2023 Live Streaming?
NASA will broadcast the annular solar eclipse 2023 live on its Facebook, X and YouTube social media accounts. It will also carry the live eclipse views, provided by Time and Date, without commentary beginning at 08:00 a.m. PDT on its media channel.
How to watch the rare ‘ring of fire’ without burning your eyes
The preferred way to view the eclipse is to use solar glasses that block out much of the light but still allow you to view the disc of the Sun. Another method is to poke a hole in a sheet of paper, stand with your back to the Sun, and view the eclipse as a shadow through the pinhole on the ground.