2023 Solar Eclipse: Find Out When and Where You Can View This Rare Event

Have you ever had the opportunity to observe a captivating phenomenon known as the ring of fire in the sky? This mesmerizing event is caused by a solar eclipse, which takes place when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align either completely or partially. Eclipses offer a remarkable and thrilling perspective of either the Sun or the Moon, depending on their alignment. NASA explains that during a solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, creating a shadow that obstructs the Sun’s light either entirely or partially in certain regions.

Solar eclipse date

On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will be visible in eight US states. This celestial event will be seen for the first time in North America. North, Central and South America will see a partial solar eclipse lasting about three hours, but the clear ring shape will only be visible in the narrow path for a short time.

Unlike the total solar eclipse scheduled for April 8, 2024, the annular eclipse offers a unique experience. According to a report by Live Science’s Jayne Aubele of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, “during an annular eclipse, you won’t experience darkness, colder temperatures, or the eerie ‘black hole sun’ effect. You will, however, witness the remarkable sight of a ‘ring of fire.’

During this eclipse, the moon covers up to 91% of the sun’s surface, but it does not completely cover it. For this reason, all those observing the event must wear solar eclipse glasses at all stages to avoid eye damage.

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun while being slightly further away from Earth due to its elliptical orbit. The annular path starts in Oregon, USA and then extends to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia and Brazil.

To see the “ring of fire,” which can last 4 minutes 29 seconds and 4 minutes 52 seconds in the U.S., you need to be 125-137 miles in the wide “path of annularity.” The longest “ring of fire” can be seen from Padre Island off the coast of Texas.

Those who can’t see “Ring of Fire” can watch it on several streaming platforms. The San Francisco Exploratorium and www.timeanddate.com, both platforms, have confirmed that they will be broadcasting a live annular solar eclipse.