After almost a decade, the US will witness a “ring of fire” eclipse this October. The upcoming annular eclipse, which happens when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth but is near its farthest point from Earth, will take place on October 14. According to NASA, because the moon appears smaller than the sun due to its distance from Earth, it does not fully cover the sun, resulting in a dark disk on top of a bright disk, creating a ring-like effect.
This rare eclipse will be visible in various parts of the US, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.
The event will begin in Oregon at 9:13 a.m. PDT and end in Texas at 12:03 p.m. CDT. Oregon and Texas will experience a 90% eclipse of the sun. Multiple states, including Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, and some parts of California, will have visibility of the annular eclipse, while all 49 continental states, including Alaska, will witness a partial solar eclipse.
It is important to note that looking directly at the sun during the eclipse without specialized eye protection for solar viewing is never safe. Skywatchers are advised to use methods for indirect viewing, such as a pinhole projector.
NASA sees this eclipse as a unique opportunity to study the sun and test and prepare scientific equipment for the total solar eclipse in April 2024. The agency will also launch sounding rockets during the eclipse to study atmospheric changes.
A live broadcast of the eclipse will be available on NASA TV from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. CDT. Additionally, a total solar eclipse is set to occur on April 8, 2024, in Mexico, the US, and Canada.
Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Business Digital.
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