STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — An annular total solar eclipse will soon sweep through the sky — creating a “ring of fire” effect visible to millions across the world.
On Saturday, Oct. 14, the eclipse will move across the northwestern United States, through Mexico and Central America, and into South America before exiting the continent in Brazil. Even if you’re not in the path of annularity, you’ll still be able to see a partial eclipse if weather conditions are right, according to NASA.
Solar eclipses are classified as total or annular — which depends on the distance between the moon, sun and the Earth. A total eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun, and an annular occurs when the moon obscures all but an outer ring of the sun.
An annular solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth while it’s close to or at its farthest point from Earth. Since the moon is farther away from Earth than on average, it appears smaller than the sun and creates a “ring of fire” effect in the sky. And since the sun is never completely covered, observers must still wear proper eye protection at all times while watching an annular eclipse.
If you’ve ever wondered how to track an eclipse down to the exact second, NASA has you covered.
As the countdown to the eclipse continues, NASA unveiled its Eclipse Explorer — an interactive map designed to enhance your eclipse-viewing experience. Crafted to complement its existing static eclipse maps, this tool enables users to dive into this amazing celestial event.
The interactive map is a web application developed by NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS).
Visit https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/webapps/eclipse-explorer/ for the interactive map.
It offers layers of details that space enthusiasts can toggle on or off to explore each facet at their own pace.
Here are some key features:
- Dynamic Layers: Toggle lines showing what percentage of the sun will be covered at the peak of the eclipse, outlines of…
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