The annular solar eclipse, colloquially referred to as the "ring of fire," is set to occur on October 2, 2024. This astronomical event transpires when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun but fails to completely obscure it due to its relative size and distance . Consequently, a fiery ring will encircle the silhouette of the moon, creating a stunning visual spectacle for those situated in its path. While this phenomenon will be most prominently visible in regions such as Easter Island and parts of South America, observers in other areas—including Brazil and Hawaii—will witness a partial eclipse .
The observer's location will dictate when the ring of fire will be visible.
Remember, during an annular solar eclipse, it is NEVER safe to look directly at the sun without solar eclipse glasses designed for solar viewing. Read our guide on how to observe the sun safely.
An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon is somewhat distant from us and fails to cover the entirety of the Sun’s disk, leaving a ring, or annulus, of sunlight around the Moon’s edge.
I’ll be along with a group of adventurous Astronomy magazine travelers in conjunction with our travel partner, Eclipse Traveler, led by Cengiz Aras. We will see annularity from one of the most exotic spots I can think of on Earth: Easter Island, home of the celebrated enormous stone Moai statues, which will be amazing to see. While not touring parts of Chile (the expedition begins in Santiago) and Easter Island, we’ll get 5 minutes 48 seconds of annularity — a nice, long eclipse.
In the off chance you’re reading this article and are a resident of any of those places (thank you for your patronage!), be sure to view the solar eclipse safely by picking up some special solar eclipse glasses.
These glasses block out those damaging ultraviolet rays, meaning you can look at the eclipse all you like without ruining your peepers.
As with any solar observation, proper eye protection is imperative; viewers must utilize specialized solar eclipse glasses to prevent severe eye damage from harmful ultraviolet rays . The significance of such celestial events extends beyond mere aesthetic pleasure; they serve as valuable opportunities for scientific study and public engagement with astronomy. Following this annular eclipse, enthusiasts can anticipate two additional partial solar eclipses scheduled for March and September 2025
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