by For the first time since April’s solar eclipse – which put 11 US states in the path of totality – some may see another solar eclipse in the coming week.
This remarkable event, called an annular solar eclipse or a ‘ring of fire’ eclipse, will be visible over parts of South America on Wednesday, October 2. A partial solar eclipse will also be visible in parts of the world.
Here’s everything you need to know about the highly anticipated event.
What is an annular solar eclipse with a “ring of fire”?
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly across the sun’s disk, but the angle causes it to obscure only most of the sun, rather than the entire sun, as during a total solar eclipse, according to NASA. This is because the solar eclipse occurs when the moon is at a point in its orbit that is further away from Earth than a total solar eclipse. Thus, it leaves a bright ring around the darkened sun, resembling a ‘ring of fire’.
Solar eclipses usually occur about two to five times a year, somewhere on Earth, while total solar eclipses typically occur every year or two. The next total solar eclipse won’t occur until 2026, passing through northern parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain.
Where and when will the “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse be visible?
The path of the annularity will pass through certain southern parts of Chile and Argentina. According to Space.com, only about 175,000 people live within the path of the annular solar eclipse, making it much further away than April’s eclipse, when 32 million people lived in the path of totality in the United States alone.
The times when it will be visible will vary slightly depending on where the viewer lives, but in both Chile and Argentina the annularity will only last 3 to 6 minutes, and just before 5:30 PM local time. In Rapa Nui/Easter Island – an area of Chile located in the Pacific Ocean – the annular solar eclipse can be seen around 2:03 PM local time.
According to Space.com, there are a few notable spots from which you can view the “ring of fire.” These include the Perito Moreno National Park, Puerto Deseado and Puerto San Julián in Argentina, as well as the city of Cochrane in Chile.
Read more: How animals and nature react to a solar eclipse
Where and when will the partial solar eclipse be visible?
A partial solar eclipse will be visible approximately 85 minutes before and after the ring. The partial solar eclipse will be visible to people in parts of South America, Antarctica, North America, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii.
A full map of the eclipse’s path is available on NASA’s website, which also shows the percentages of the eclipse that will be visible in other parts of the world.
Well-known places to view the partial solar eclipse are Buenos Aires, Argentina, São Paulo, Brazil and Asunción, Paraguay.
How can I watch an annular solar eclipse safely?
Because the sun is never completely covered, as it is during a total solar eclipse, observers should wear proper eye protection during the eclipse and be careful not to remove it, even if the “ring of fire” is visible.
As with a total solar eclipse, regular sunglasses are not safe enough for viewing an annular solar eclipse. Safe solar binoculars and filters are “thousands of times darker” than regular sunglasses, NASA says.
If you don’t have access to secure solar binoculars, there are indirect viewing methods you can use. One of these methods is a pinhole projector, in which small holes (for example in an index card) can project the image of the sun onto a nearby surface. But such alternatives must be implemented with care.
