Solar eclipse: How to watch the Ring of Fire eclipse in October

WASHINGTON – The next total solar eclipse may not return to the United States for a few years, but a similar astronomical event is coming this week.

On Wednesday, October 2, an annular solar eclipse will dim daylight as the moon sets before the sun, creating the illusion of a ring of light in the sky. Compared to the total solar eclipse just a few months ago, it will be a much longer spectacle – lasting more than seven minutes.

The annular solar eclipse will take place on Wednesday, October 2nd.

Wednesday's annular solar eclipse will have a much smaller audience than the total solar eclipse, which was watched by millions of people in April. This is due to the path of annularity that stretches from Hawaii across the Pacific Ocean down to Argentina in the October event.

For eclipse hunters, the best viewing spots for the “Ring of Fire” are on remote Easter Island and parts of southern Chile and Argentina.

Hawaii will not experience the “Ring of Fire” effect, but will experience a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday, October 2nd. It is the only part of the US that will experience this astronomical event.

The greatest coverage will be on the large island of Hawaii, where nearly 51% of the sun will be covered by the moon as of Wednesday morning. According to TimeandDate, the partial solar eclipse will begin at approximately 6:13 a.m. local time and reach maximum coverage at 6:46 a.m. local time in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Several cities in Hawaii fall under the path of the partial solar eclipse. All hours are in Hawaii Standard Time:

• Hilo – Visible between 5:44 a.m. and 7:56 a.m
• Honolulu – Visible between 5:45 a.m. and 7:52 a.m
• Kailua-Kona – Visible between 5:44 a.m. and 7:56 a.m
• Lihue – Visible between 5:46 a.m. and 7:51 a.m
• Napili-Honokowai – Visible between 5:45 a.m. and 7:53 a.m
• Wailuku – Visible between 5:45 a.m. and 7:54 a.m
• Waipahu – Visible between 5:45 a.m. and 7:52 a.m

During an annular solar eclipse, the moon and sun create the effect of a “ring of fire.”

According to NASA, annular solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the Earth but is still at its furthest distance from Earth. Because the moon is further away from us, it appears smaller than the sun and does not completely cover it, creating the illusion of a “ring of fire.”

The word “annular” comes from the Latin word “annulus,” meaning “ring,” according to TimeandDate.com

Those in the path of the ring shape will have up to 90% of the Sun obscured by the Moon. As a result, people may feel a slight change in temperature and daylight becomes dimmed, similar to a sunset or sunrise, according to NASA.

Since totality is not achieved, partial and annular solar eclipses must always be observed with certified eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector. Even the smallest large spikes of light during the “ring of fire effect” can damage your eyes, NASA says.

Solar eclipses of all kinds happen more often than you think.

NASA breaks the math down to about 2,380 solar eclipses of all types every 1,000 years – or about 2-3 solar eclipses per year. Total solar eclipses, in which the moon completely covers the sun, occur two eclipses every three years.

North America will not experience total totality again until 2033, with Alaska alone leading the way. Then it will take until 2044 until the total is limited to western Canada, Montana and North Dakota.

There won't be another coast-to-coast solar eclipse in the United States until 2045. This will extend from Northern California to Cape Canaveral, Florida.