Mark your calendars for October 2, 2024, when the sky will light up with one of nature's most spectacular shows—the annular solar eclipse, also known as the "ring of fire." This year’s event is set to be even more breathtaking, with the moon covering 93% of the sun for an astonishing 7 minutes and 25 seconds—nearly double the duration of last year’s eclipse. While the 2023 eclipse dazzled parts of the U.S., Mexico, and Central America for just under 5 minutes, 2024’s celestial spectacle promises to leave stargazers in awe for much longer.

Science Behind It ~ 

(Source: Google Images) 

NASA states that a ring of fire eclipse happens when the sun, moon, and Earth are all in a straight line during a new moon. On the other hand, an annular eclipse occurs when the moon is farther from Earth and appears smaller than a total eclipse, which totally covers the sun. Because the moon cannot completely round the sun, a ring of fire can be seen.

While a total solar eclipse occurs only once or twice a year, Earth experiences between two to five solar eclipses annually. The next one won’t happen until 2026, when it will be visible from Iceland, Greenland, and Spain.

Where will the fire ring appear? 

Only the Pacific Ocean and the southern regions of Chile and Argentina will show the ring of fire.  A little before 5:30 p.m. local time, viewers in Chile and Argentina can witness the annular eclipse. The upcoming eclipse will only be seen to 175,000 people in North America, making it far more remote than the eclipse that occurred in April, which was viewable to 32 million people. Hawaii, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay will be among the places in North America, South America, Antarctica, and the Atlantic Ocean that will see a partial solar eclipse, when the sun will look like a crescent. 

How can I safely view a solar eclipse? 

(Source: Google Images) 

When viewing a solar eclipse, it's crucial to exercise caution and wear solar viewers and filters only—regular sunglasses are not safe. You can also observe the eclipse indirectly if you don't have access to safe solar viewers by creating a pinhole projector and shielding the sun's image on a nearby surface. But, it's crucial to use caution when applying these techniques.