Do not confuse an annular solar eclipse with a total solar eclipse. On Saturday, October 14th, an annular solar eclipse will be visible from across North, Central, and South America. On that day, everyone in the United States and abroad will see a partial solar eclipse.
But those lucky enough to be on the narrow 125-mile-wide annular path will witness a brief glimpse of the “Ring of Fire,” the colloquial name for an annular solar eclipse.
Often referred to as an “annual eclipse” by the media (or spell checker software), there is a lot of confusion about this type of solar eclipse. The main reason is that another type of solar eclipse, even more impactful, will soon occur in North America on April 8, 2024.
The differences between an annular solar eclipse and a total solar eclipse are as follows:
‘Ring of Fire’ Annular solar eclipse explanation
“An annular solar eclipse is when the Moon moves away from the Earth in an elliptical orbit and cannot completely cover the Sun’s disk.” tyler nordgrenastronomer, space artist, Author chasing solar eclipse, in an interview. “So when you reach a moment of perfect alignment, the moon is so far away and so small that a small ring of the sun’s disk is exposed. This is what we call the ‘ring of fire.’ It’s an annular solar eclipse…annular It means a ring.
The important thing to remember here is: Must Be sure to wear eclipse glasses when viewing partial solar eclipses, including annular solar eclipses. As it turns out, an annular ring is essentially a type of partial solar eclipse that looks beautiful. “There is no safe time to remove your glasses during an annular eclipse,” Nordgren says. “Even though the sky is a little dark, everything around us still looks like daylight.”
Where to see ‘Ring of Fire’ on Saturday
This path begins in the Pacific Ocean as the “Ring of Fire” sets, then reaches Oregon, then reaches northern California, Nevada, southwestern Idaho, Utah, northeastern Arizona, southwestern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, and New Mexico. , heading southeast through Texas.
Once the shadow leaves the United States, it will be visible from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil, before disappearing as a ring of fire in the Atlantic Ocean.
Explanation of total solar eclipse
The Ring of Fire will be a fun experience for those who take the time to observe it on Saturday, but it will definitely not be as impressive as the total solar eclipse that will occur in Mexico on Monday, April 8, 2024. do not have. USA and Canada.
“During a total solar eclipse, the moon is so close that at the moment of perfect alignment, it completely blocks the sun’s disk,” Nordgren said. “Those in the shadow can see a total solar eclipse.”
The total is much more dramatic than “Ring of Fire.” “The difference between the Ring of Fire and a total solar eclipse is night and day,” Nordgren said. “At the moment of totality, the sun will disappear, the outer atmosphere, the corona, will become visible for a moment, and the sky will darken for about an hour after sunset, and the planets may be visible.”
The sky can take on colors that are difficult to explain, Nordgren said.
The path of totality on April 8, 2024.
Michael Zeiler/GreatAmericanEclipse.com
Where to see a total solar eclipse in 2024
On April 8, 2024, the 115-mile-wide path will begin in the Pacific Ocean as a total sunrise, reach Mexico’s Pacific coast and interior highlands, and then cross Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Masu. , Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
In Canada, the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland will also be in the moon’s dark central shadow.
This promises to be quite the show, and will be the last total solar eclipse seen in the United States until two consecutive years in 2044 and 2045.
I’m a solar eclipse expert. When is next Eclipse.com and author A complete guide to the North American solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Latest information on the “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse – including travel and viewing tips –Check out the main feed New articles appear every day.
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