How and where to watch Wednesday's annular solar eclipse

A lucky few will have the chance to see another space phenomenon on Wednesday when the “Ring of Fire” annular solar eclipse darkens the sky.

The annular (or annular) solar eclipse is best viewed from South America, although residents of at least one U.S. state may have a chance to catch a glimpse. When the moon is furthest from the sun, an annular solar eclipse does not result in total blackout but instead creates a ring light effect, hence the “ring of fire.”

This time, the celestial event will only be visible to a small population in one US state. Wondering if you can catch a glimpse? Here's what you should know about observing today's Ring of Fire annular solar eclipse.

When does the annular Ring of Fire solar eclipse occur?

The annular solar eclipse, also known as the “Ring of Fire,” will take place on Wednesday, October 2nd.

The annular solar eclipse will occur in phases depending on the time and date data:

• 15:42 UTC: Partial solar eclipse begins. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon, Sun and Earth are not perfectly aligned and only the outer shadow of the Moon's shadow is cast on the Earth.
• 16:50 UTC: Annular solar eclipse begins. An annular solar eclipse describes the moment when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, creating the illusion of a thin ring of sunlight around the moon.
• 18:45 UTC: Maximum solar eclipse. This happens when the moon completely covers the face of the sun.
• 20:39 UTC: Annular solar eclipse ends
• 21:47 UTC: Partial solar eclipse ends

Where will the solar eclipse be seen?

The eclipse will be visible from parts of South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and Antarctica.

According to Time and Date and NASA, only about 175,000 people live within the Ringbahn this time. However, the number of people who could have a partial line of sight of the eclipse is much larger – about 245 million people.