What to Know About Upcoming Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse

The U.S. will be among the lucky ones on Earth to witness the next solar eclipse, and this time, they’ll be getting a special treat. The next solar eclipse is an annular eclipse, also known as a “Ring of Fire” eclipse because of the visual effect of the sun around the moon. The last time this happened in U.S. skies was in May 2012, and it won’t be visible in the same part of the U.S. again until 2046.

With only a few days to go until the big day, it’s time to start preparing to ensure you have the optimal viewing experience for those precious few minutes. 

When is the 2023 Ring of Fire solar eclipse?

If you want to see this unique phenomenon with your own eyes (only behind protective eclipse glasses of course), be sure to look up on Oct. 14. 

The eclipse will first appear over the South Pacific and begin its journey across North America. The path’s first point of totality will be on Mexico’s Pacific coast at 11:07 a.m. PT and it will cross the North American continent before ending on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland at 5:16 p.m. local time (3:46 p.m. ET).

Where will the eclipse be visible?

Americans across most of the continental U.S. will be able to see at least some of the eclipse. The Pacific Northwest and the Southwest will get the best views with about 90 percent of the sun being covered, while Southern California will get approximately 80 percent. 

The eclipse will be best seen in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. with partial shadows also seen in portions of California, Idaho, Colorado and Arizona

We're already getting excited about October's annular solar eclipse!

We may be weather geeks, but we're also huge space nerds here at TWC ???? pic.twitter.com/Xpnk4JM4Sk

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) September 27, 2023

How can you watch the eclipse safely?

Regardless of where you watch the eclipse from, it’s incredibly important to exercise caution by wearing special glasses approved for eclipse viewing. 

“You need certified ISO 12312-2 compliant solar eclipse glasses. There are plenty of safe sellers online,” Alex Lockwood, strategic content and integration lead for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters, said of the safety measure. “We cannot stress enough how important it is to obtain a pair of safe certified solar eclipse glasses in order to witness this annular event.”

How long will the eclipse last?

In total, the eclipse will last approximately five minutes and 17 seconds from start to finish, so be sure to time it right. 

When is the next solar eclipse in the U.S.?

The next total and partial solar eclipse in the U.S. actually isn’t that far off, set to darken the sky on April 8, 2024. It will similarly traverse much of Central and North America, this time with the Midwest and the Northeast getting the best views. 

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