On June 10 we have a date with a “ring of fire”. It is a rare solar eclipse in which the Moon passes between our star and the Earth but does not completely cover the Sun as it is too far away, thus creating a bright ring (of fire) around the shadow.
After a supermoon, an annular eclipse
The ring of fire eclipse will occur for a maximum of 3 minutes and 51 seconds . It begins at sunrise in Ontario, Canada (on the north side of Lake Superior). The eclipse path then rotates through the northern reaches of the globe. Midway, the peak of the eclipse will occur at local noon in northern Greenland. Subsequently, the trajectory of the annular eclipse will pass through the North Pole of the Earth and will end at sunset over northeastern Siberia.
From where will the annular eclipse be visible?
This annular eclipse will be perfectly visible in northern Canada, Greenland and Russia, according to NASA. Specifically, the best place on Earth to see it will be Qaanaaq, a city in northwestern Greenland . In the northeastern United States, Europe and most of Russia we will be able to see a partial eclipse. The closer we are to the path of annularity (the eclipse path), the deeper the partial eclipse will be. The eclipse will begin at around 10:12 am (peninsular time, the maximum of the eclipse will be at 12:41 pm and will end at 3:11 pm peninsular time).
We Europeans will be able to see the partial eclipse from beginning to end, as it will take place high in the sky. However, it will be a fairly superficial partial eclipse. For example, from Oslo, Norway, the eclipse will last 2 hours and 26 minutes, with a maximum eclipse magnitude of just over 0.40. From Asia, where the partial eclipse is visible, the eclipse will occur in the late afternoon of June 10. And, from Beijing, China, the moon will first eclipse the sun about 12 minutes before sunset.
When do annular solar eclipses occur?
Several conditions must be met: that it is a new moon; that the Moon is in a lunar node, so that the Earth, the moon and the sun are aligned in a straight line; and that the Moon is near its furthest point from Earth, called the apogee , so the outer edge of the sun remains visible as a ring of sunlight.
How many solar eclipses can we see per year?
Typically, there are two to five solar eclipses a year , each visible from limited areas. Most years occur with two solar eclipses. And while it is true that there can be five solar eclipses in the same year, it is a rather rare phenomenon.
According to NASA calculations, only about 25 years in the last 5,000 years have had 5 solar eclipses . The last time this happened was in 1935, and the next time it will be in the year 2206.
If you are going to observe the eclipse, remember to do it with protection. Use a special pair of glasses to see solar eclipses or look indirectly by observing the shadow of the Sun on the ground. Everything except looking directly at the Sun.
