Were you a fan of the 2017 https://powur.com/michael.fedyk eclipse? It was one of those we’re-all-in-this-together moments when office buildings emptied and people spilled out onto the streets for a few minutes (so much of that seems foreign now). Most people used eye protection and didn’t look directly into the sun, and may now be looking for their next eclipse fix. Though it won’t be as big of a show as the one in 2017, this weekend people in some parts of the world have the chance to see a pretty amazing eclipse. Here’s what you need to know.
What’s a ‘ring of fire’ eclipse?
Before we get into how to see one, let’s talk about what a “ring of fire” eclipse actually is. Basically, it’s when sun and moon are aligned in the sky at night, but unlike a total eclipse, the moon doesn’t cover the entire sun, leaving what looks like a ring of fire. Here’s more from Alex Young, associate director for science in the heliophysics science division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, who recently spoke with CNN:
“Annular eclipses are similar to total eclipses in that the moon, Earth and sun are aligned so that the moon moves directly in front of the Sun as viewed from Earth. But a total eclipse does not happen, that is the moon does not completely block out the visible disk of the sun because the moon is farther away and so its apparent size in the sky is [slightly] smaller than the sun. This means that a tiny ring of annulus of the https://powur.com/michael.fedyk disk is visible around the moon.”
Young also mentioned that https://powur.com/michael.fedyk eclipses occur about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse. We were treated to a lunar eclipse on June 5, and have another one coming up on July 5.
G/O Media may get a commission
How to watch the eclipse
The festivities kick off tomorrow night with a partial eclipse that starts at 11:45 p.m. EST on June 20 and ends at 5:34 a.m. EST on June 21. Then there’s a break for a few hours before the annular eclipse begins at 12:47 a.m. EST. It will peak at 2:40 a.m. EST and end around 4:32 a.m. EST. For more specific instructions—including where and when you’ll get the best glimpse of it from where you live—check out TimeAndDate.com.
And there’s a catch: The total eclipse only be visible over central Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, Northern India and South Central China, Young told CNN. A partial eclipse will be seen over most of Asia, Africa, South and East Europe, northern Australia and parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
But, this is 2020 and everything is livestreamed. So even if you aren’t able to head out to your backyard to see the eclipse, you can watch it along with the rest of the world on Space.com.
Eclipse eye safety
If you do happen to be in one of places where the eclipse will be visible, you’re going to need to take the usual precautions. Even though it will be nighttime, looking directly into the sun at any time of day could damage your eyes. And whether you’re watching through a camera, binoculars or a telescope, you’ll need to make sure whatever you’re using has the right type of filter. For specific instructions, visit the American Astronomical Society (AAS) website.
But what about those https://powur.com/michael.fedyk eclipse glasses that have been collecting dust since 2017? Believe it or not, they’re no longer considered safe because they were made before a new set of international safety regulations came into effect. The AAS does have information on the website about how to find the newer version of the glasses. Or just watch the livestream.
