Don't miss the amazing 'Ring of Fire' solar eclipse

NASA’s Hinode satellite captured this stunning image of an annular solar eclipse on January 4, 2011. Credit:
NASA / Hinode / XRT

On Thursday, June 10, 2021, people in the Northern Hemisphere will have the opportunity to experience an annular or partial solar eclipse.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and the earth, casting a shadow on the earth, and in some areas blocking the sunlight completely or partially. During an annular eclipse, the Moon is far enough from the Earth that it appears smaller in the sky than the Sun. Since the Moon does not completely block the view of the Sun, it will appear as a dark disk on top of a larger bright disk. This creates what looks like a circle of fire around the moon. People in some parts of Canada, Greenland and northern Russia will witness an annular eclipse.

Annular solar eclipse on May 20, 2012. Credit: Dale Cruikshank

In some places, viewers will not be able to see this ring around the moon. Instead, they are exposed to a partial solar eclipse. This happens when the sun, moon and earth do not match up perfectly. The sun appears to have a dark shadow on only part of its surface. Viewers in parts of the eastern United States and northern Alaska will see a partial solar eclipse on June 10, as well as much of Canada, parts of the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

In the United States, a partial eclipse will be visible along parts of the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, and northern Alaska. In many of these places, there will be an eclipse before, during, and shortly after sunrise. This means that viewers will need a clear view of the horizon at sunrise to see the eclipse.

Visualization of the lunar shadow during the annular eclipse of the sun on June 10, 2021 showing the antembra (black oval), semi-shadow (concentric shaded ovals), and the annular path (red). Images of the sun show its appearance in many places, each oriented towards the local horizon. assigned to him: NASAScientific Visualization Studio / Ernie Wright

You can click anywhere on the map to see when the eclipse may be visible in certain areas Here. (Please note that the maximum blackout and maximum eclipse timings observed on this map may appear before sunrise in many locations.)

This eclipse path map shows where the annular and partial solar eclipses will occur on June 10, 2021. Click to enlarge.
Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio / Ernie Wright

Download this factsheet to learn more about eclipses and how to watch them safely and fun eclipses:
Solar Eclipse Information Sheet

How to watch an annular or partial eclipse safely

It is never safe to look directly at the sun’s rays, even if the sun is partially or mostly obscured. When viewing a partial solar eclipse or annular solar eclipse, you should wear sunglasses or eclipse glasses throughout the eclipse to face the sun. Sunglasses or eclipses are not ordinary sunglasses; Ordinary sunglasses are not safe for watching the sun.

This time interval shows an annular eclipse as seen on the JAXA Hinode satellite on January 4, 2011. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon moves, slightly away from Earth, directly between Earth and the Sun, and observers appear to be slightly smaller. eyes; The effect is a bright ring or ring of sunlight around the silhouette of the moon. credit: NASA

If you don’t have sunglasses or eclipse glasses, you can use an alternate, indirect method, such as a pinhole projector. Pinhole projectors should not be used to look directly at the sun, but to project sunlight onto the surface. Read the instructions on how to create a hole viewer.

Stay safe and continue enjoying the stellar sun shows by creating your own super browser with a few simple extensions. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center