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San Antonio astronomy fans have a double treat to look forward to in the coming months. The annular — or Ring of Fire — eclipse will take place on Oct. 14 and will last about three hours. A total solar eclipse is set to take place in April 2024.
Angela Speck, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, explained that an annular eclipse happens because the moon’s orbit is slightly elongated, and at times that can cause the moon to appear closer or further away during an eclipse.
“When the moon is at its furthest point, it’s not quite big enough to block out the whole sun. So, it’s directly lined up between us and the sun, but you can still see the edge. What you get is the Ring of Fire,” she said.
Speck advises against viewing any eclipse with the naked eye. “As the moon is moving in the way, you’re seeing part of the sun blocked out. At no time during a partial eclipse should you be looking directly at the sun,” she said.
During an annular eclipse, viewers will be exposed to about 5% of the sun, which is enough to cause damage. “You either look at it indirectly or you use special equipment to be able to view it safely,” said Speck.
The ring of fire eclipse will look more like a transition to sunset instead of a sudden change to darkness.
“You still have enough of the sun showing that it’s more like after sunset when the sun’s already gone down but it hasn’t gotten dark yet,” said Speck.
The total solar eclipse will take place on April 8, 2024.
Speck is co-chair of the American Astronomical Society Solar Eclipse Taskforce. She said there are a few ways to view both eclipses safely.
Those interested can check out the organization’s website for a verified list of resources to prepare for the eclipses. If you own a telescope, Speck advises purchasing a filter for the telescope that will block out most of the light.
Eclipses always provide dramatic and beautiful spectacles.
“You’re looking at the solar eclipse and there’s a hole in the sky. There’s this beautiful corona around it. If it’s dark enough you can see stars. You’ll probably see planets. You’ll have those sunset colors — all 360 degrees — all the way around the horizon,” she said.
Citizen scientists and astronomy enthusiasts can visit the AASSET’s page for more information.
