Get excited, for this once in a life—well rare occasion. You’ll get to witness a phenomenon known as the “ring of fire.” Also called an annular solar eclipse.
On Sunday the sun will appear as a thin ring behind the moon. The last time this happened in the U.S. was in 1994. The eclipse will begin in East Asia and cross the Pacific Ocean before it’s seen in America. Places (in the US) where the annular solar eclipse will be visible:
- Northwestern Texas through New Mexico
- Northeastern Arizona
- Southern Utah, Nevada
- Northern California and Southwestern Oregon
"I recommend anyone who has the chance to see this, because while they do happen occasionally, it's a fairly rare event," Jeffrey Newmark, a solar physics specialist with NASA, told CNN [1]. "It's a neat thing to see."
The eclipse will last a few hours in its entirety. But the actual “ring of fire,” when the sun appears as a thin ring, will be visible for at least 4 minutes. For those able to see it, definitely be on the lookout! Your next opportunity won’t be until 2023 [2].
And of course, don’t forget eye safety. Looking directly into the sun is never a good idea. (You could burn your retina.) And regular sunglasses won’t cut it this time. You’ll need “eclipse” glasses or welder’s goggles rated 14 or higher. Check out some other safety tips here [3].
What can you do?
Although the sun will be mostly covered on Sunday, you should still practice good sun safety.
- 11 facts [4] about tanning.
- Promote trend-setting tanning alternatives [5].