The 2023 annular solar eclipse will take place on October 14 (Pictures: Getty Images/Metro.co.uk)
The next annular solar eclipse is just around the corner on Saturday, October 14, and will have a ‘path of annularity’ across multiple US states.
Self-described ‘eclipse chasers’ and those with a curiosity to witness the ‘ring of fire’ will flock to a narrow strip crossing nine US states over which the phenomenon will be visible.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth and is at its greatest distance from our planet. The Moon appears smaller than the Sun and does not totally cover it, and that is what causes the ring of fire look.
This time, the annular solar eclipse will be able to be seen over parts of Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas, and sections of California, Idaho, Colorado and finally Arizona, according to Nasa.
Sun spots are seen as the moon moves into a partial eclipse position after reaching annularity during the first annular eclipse seen in the US since 1994 on May 20, 2012 (Picture: Getty Images)
Portions of multiple states outside of the strip will still be in the 80-90% range and get a partial vista of the eclipse. They include California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Idaho, according to Nexstar.
Parts of a handful if states will have a 70-80% view including some of the aforementioned states and Washington, Montana, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.
The phenomenon will begin to be visible in the US at 9.13am PT in Oregon and be over Texas at 12.03pm CT. The path of annularity will then continue on to Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and finishing off in Panama.
While chasing the eclipse, hopeful onlookers should not forget to take safety measures for watching it.
The tiny town of Kanarraville, 40 miles north of St George and 263 miles south of Salt Lake City, was a ‘sweet spot’ location where an almost perfect annular eclipse could be seen (Picture: Getty Images)
‘The Sun is never completely blocked by the Moon during an annular solar eclipse. Therefore, during an annular eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing,’ states Nasa.
‘Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.’
It is essential to use safe solar viewing glasses, also known as eclipse glasses, which are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses. Regardless of the brand, the eclipse glasses should comply with the ISO 12312-3 international standard.
The entire sequence of the 2019 annular solar eclipse from start to finish (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use; if torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device,’ states Nasa.
‘Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.’
The next major phenomenon, a total solar eclipse, will occur on April 8, 2024. That happens when the Moon travels between the Sun and Earth and completely blocks the Sun and the sky becomes dark. It is the only type of eclipse in which viewers can momentarily take off the protective glasses and gaze at it with the naked eye.
The sun rises next to the Statue of Liberty during an annular eclipse on June 10, 2021, in New York City (Picture: Getty Images)
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Path of the solar eclipse October 14.