The Earth will witness the annual solar eclipse on Wednesday (October 2). The eclipse is called the ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse as it will exhibit a stunning celestial display of a glowing ring of sunlight around the dark centre of the Sun.
During this ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse, which will last for over six hours, the Moon as it will be too far from Earth to completely shadow the Sun, will create a glimmering outline of sunlight around its dark centre. This outline is called the ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse.
What is the ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse
The ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun attempting to obscure the Sun but failing to completely cover the Sun, leaving a radiant ring of sunlight visible on the outlines.
Notably, this ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse differs from the total solar eclipse where the moon completely blocks the Sun.
However, the peak of this ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse, which will occur at around 12:15 am IST on October 3, cannot be seen in India as it falls during nighttime. Today’s eclipse will begin at 7:12 pm (IST) on Wednesday and ends at 3:17 am IST the next day.
This ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse will be seen over water in the Pacific. Rapa Nui is on the path along with parts of Argentina and Chile. On the other hand, a partial solar eclipse, in which the Sun appears as a crescent, will be visible from several locations such as Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Hawaii.
When Will the Next ‘Ring of Fire’ Eclipse Occur?
While there will be two partial solar eclipses next year in March and September, the he next total solar eclipse won’t arrive until 2026 and will pass over the northern fringes of Greenland, Iceland and Spain.
The partial solar eclipse will happen on March 29, 2025, but won’t be visible from India as the eclipse will occur during the nighttime in India. However, it will be visible in parts of the northeastern United States, eastern Canada, Greenland, Europe, northwest Africa, and northern Russia.
