Story by Mary Walrath-Holdridge - USA TODAY - 10 Oct 23
"A solar spectacle will cross the sky this weekend when an annular eclipse known as the "Ring of Fire" appears across the western hemisphere.
The distinct annular eclipse is different from a total eclipse, the next of which is expected to occur in April, and will be the last opportunity for people in the states to catch a glimpse of a ring of fire for a number of years.
Known as the "Ring of Fire" thanks to shape of circular light created by the partial eclipse, the event is expected to occur this Saturday, Oct. 14, and travel from the coast of Oregon to the Texas Gulf Coast, according to NASA.
Those hoping to take a gander at the eclipse need to don proper protection first.
The solar eclipse will begin on Saturday and, weather permitting, first become visible in Oregon around 9:13 a.m. PDT and end in Texas around 12:03 p.m. CDT, according to NASA.
It will then move beyond the U.S. and over Mexico, Central America and finally South America before ending around sunset off of Natal, Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean.
Only the outer ring of the sun will be visible during the height of the eclipse.
Unfortunately for celestial enthusiasts in the Eastern time zone, the annular eclipse will only be visible in portions of the Pacific, Mountain and Central Zones and is the last of its kind that will be viewable in the U.S. until 2039.
The fiery eclipse will be viewable in a handful of U.S. states, including:
- Oregon
- Nevada
- Utah
- New Mexico
- Texas
- California
- Idaho
- Colorado
- Arizona
b) How to catch a glimpse of the Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse
