On October 2, 2024, a celestial event will take place in the skies over certain parts of South America and the Pacific. This event is known as an annular solar eclipse, more commonly referred to as a ring of fire solar eclipse.
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The annular solar eclipse will begin at 15:42 UTC in the southern Pacific Ocean and will reach its path of annularity over southern Chile at around 16:50 UTC.
The eclipse will then move across South America with the maximum eclipse occurring at 18:45 UTC over Argentina.
Observers in the best locations will witness the ring of fire for 7 minutes and 25 seconds, much longer than typical annular eclipses.
The path of annularity is relatively narrow, measuring about 265 km wide at its maximum. It will cross regions of southern Chile, Argentina and the southern Atlantic Ocean.
A partial eclipse will also be visible in other parts of South America including parts of Antarctica and the Pacific Ocean with Easter Island experiencing up to 87% coverage of the Sun.
The narrow path where the ring of fire will be visible includes southern Chile and Argentina. This path will stretch across some remote areas including parts of the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Only about 1,75,000 people live within this path, but millions of others in South America and neighboring regions will still get to witness a partial solar eclipse.
One of the most exciting places to observe the eclipse is Easter Island, a remote territory of Chile in the Pacific Ocean, where up to 87% of the Sun’s disk will be obscured.
Eclipses follow a predictable pattern known as the Saros cycle, which repeats approximately every 18 years. The annular eclipse on October 2, 2024 is part of Saros cycle 144, a series that began in 1736 and will end in 2980. This means the same type of eclipse will occur again in 2042.
The Moon’s shadow causes the eclipse, moves across the Earth at varying speeds. As it crosses the Pacific Ocean, the shadow will travel at a speed of 5.31 million mph, increasing to 6.25 million mph as it leaves Earth near the South Atlantic.
Despite the high speeds, the eclipse will last for several minutes particularly over Easter Island, where it will be visible for over 7 minutes.
The slowest movement of the Moon’s shadow will occur northwest of Easter Island, where the ring of fire will be visible for the longest duration. Here, the shadow moves at 1,278 mph, giving observers the longest possible view of the annular eclipse.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in front of the sun but doesn’t completely block it. This phenomenon happens when the moon is farther from Earth in its orbit, which means that it appears smaller in the sky and cannot cover the entire sun.
The moon is at a farther point in its elliptical orbit around Earth, so it appears smaller. The sun’s outer edges remain visible, creating a bright, fiery ring.
Unlike a total solar eclipse, where the sun is entirely obscured, the ring of fire leaves a portion of the sun visible.
The ring of fire solar eclipse will be visible primarily in remote locations. It will pass over the Pacific Ocean and South America with specific visibility in parts of Chile, Argentina and Easter Island.
In Easter Island, Chile, the annular eclipse will be visible at approximately 2:03 PM local time. In Chile, certain areas including the town of Cochrane, will experience the full eclipse.
In Argentina locations like Perito Moreno National Park, Puerto Deseado and Puerto San Julián will be ideal for observing the event.
The eclipse will occur around 5:30 PM local time, lasting for about 3 to 6 minutes. In these areas, viewers will see the moon cover the center of the sun, leaving the famous ring of fire around the edges.
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If you aren’t in the direct path of the annular eclipse, you can still observe a partial solar eclipse. During this phase, the sun will appear as a crescent, with the moon obscuring only a part of it.
The Partial Eclipse Will Be Visible In:
- Brazil (São Paulo)
- Paraguay (Asunción)
- Uruguay
- Hawaii
- Parts of Antarctica, North America and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Observing a solar eclipse can be an unforgettable experience, but it’s critical to do so safely. Looking directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, can cause serious eye damage or even permanent blindness.
The annular solar eclipse is particularly dangerous because a portion of the sun is still visible during the entire event.
Solar Eclipse Glasses specially designed solar eclipse glasses are a must for safe viewing. These glasses filter out harmful ultraviolet rays and most visible light.
Regular sunglasses are not safe, even if they are polarized. Glasses should comply with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Be cautious of counterfeit glasses that may falsely advertise this certification.
If you don’t have access to eclipse glasses, you can create a pinhole projector using simple household materials like cardboard. By punching a small hole in the cardboard and letting sunlight pass through it, you can project an image of the eclipse onto a nearby surface.
A colander can also be used to create multiple projections of the eclipse by letting sunlight filter through its holes.
Another creative way to view the eclipse indirectly is to look at the ground under a shady tree. As the sunlight filters through the leaves, it will cast crescent-shaped shadows.
This October’s ring of fire solar eclipse is significant because it will be the last solar eclipse of 2024. Additionally, unlike the total solar eclipse earlier this year in April, which was visible to millions across the US, this annular eclipse will be seen only by a few thousand people due to its remote path.
The last annular solar eclipse took place in October 2023. Only about 175,000 people live within the path of the 2024 annular eclipse. Solar eclipses happen around two to five times a year, but annular eclipses are less frequent.
If you miss this ring of fire solar eclipse, don’t worry, there are more opportunities to witness solar eclipses in the coming years.
March and September 2025, two partial solar eclipses will occur. Total Solar Eclipse in 2026, the next total solar eclipse is scheduled for 2026 and it will be visible over parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain. This will be the next chance to see the sun completely obscured by the moon.
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