Solar eclipse: Everything about the celestial spectacle on Wednesday

What you need to know about tomorrow’s “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse

A solar eclipse with a ring of fire will be visible over the Pacific and parts of South America on October 2nd. With us you can follow it via live stream.

Published today at 12:56 p.m

Because the Moon is further away from Earth, an annular solar eclipse only partially covers the Sun, creating the impression of a ring of fire.

Photo: NASA (AFP)

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For the first time since April, there will be a solar eclipse on Tuesday: The spectacular Ring of Fire will only be visible in a small strip over the Pacific and in the south of Argentina and Chile. A partial solar eclipse can also be observed over large parts of South America.

What exactly is an annular “ring of fire” solar eclipse?

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, but its current position in orbit is so far from Earth that it cannot obscure the entire sun. This creates a bright ring around the eclipsed sun, reminiscent of a ring of fire. Around 93 percent of the sun is obscured.

When and where will the solar eclipse be seen?

The solar eclipse will begin south of Hawaii on October 2nd at 5:42 p.m. Central European Time. The moon’s shadow will then move across the Pacific on a path around 300 kilometers wide, passing Easter Island until it reaches the southern tip of South America. A distance of more than 14,000 kilometers is covered. The sun’s maximum completion will be reached at 8:45 p.m. Central European Time and will end at 10:39 p.m. The phase of the annular darkening, during which the ring of fire will be visible, only lasts around seven and a half minutes.

One of the best places to see the solar eclipse’s Ring of Fire would be Easter Island.

Photo: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

A partial solar eclipse will also be visible further north and south of the annular occultation, which will appear as if the moon appears to be taking a “bite” of the sun. The sun is obscured by 84 percent in the Falkland Islands, 72 percent in Ushuaia, Argentina and 42 percent in Buenos Aires. The partial solar eclipse will be visible for around 85 minutes.

Here in Switzerland, the celestial event can be followed via one of the numerous live streams, for example at Time and date.

When will the next total solar eclipse take place?

The next total solar eclipse will not occur until August 2026 and will pass over northern parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain.

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Simon Angelo Meier has been an editor at Tamedia’s news desk since 2023. More info

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topicnews · October 1, 2024

Solar eclipse: Everything about the celestial spectacle on Wednesday

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