An annular solar eclipse will occur today, marking a rare celestial event in which the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, revealing a bright, flaming rim around the Moon’s silhouette.
The annular solar eclipse will begin its journey through a remote area of Antarctica, where it will be visible to more penguins than humans. The partial eclipse will be visible to observers in parts of southern Africa and the southern tip of South America. During an annular solar eclipse, the moon is relatively far away and does not cover the disk of the sun, as we see during a total solar eclipse. It produces a distinct ring of light in the air, the ‘ring of fire’.
What to look out for and how to watch safely
To witness the annular solar eclipse, one will notice that the moon moves slowly past the sun while creating a partial solar eclipse. As the opacity increases to around 80%, shadows on the ground begin to sharpen and lose their blurred edges. There is a significant difference between partial and annular solar eclipses because there is no moment when the moon completely covers the bright face of the sun. It is never safe to look directly at a partial or annular solar eclipse without proper eye protection.
Where can you see the next solar eclipse?
The next solar eclipse will be a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. It will be visible in Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain and will last up to 2 minutes and 18 seconds in total. Remarkably, this event occurs just before the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower.
