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"Ring of fire" solar eclipse explained
The "ring of fire" is a type of solar eclipse where the moon partially blocks the sun's light on Earth.
Many Americans will have a chance to witness another astronomical phenomenon on June 10 during the "ring of fire" annular solar eclipse.
EarthSky believes most people around the world will be able to view the spectacle. In the United States, scientists said the eclipse will be partially visible in the upper Midwest and the East Coast, with the exception of Florida.
Americans will see the eclipse at sunrise, according to timeandate.com, a site providing time, weather, astronomy and other information.
An eclipse "occurs when one heavenly body such as a moon or planet moves into the shadow of another heavenly body," NASA states on its website.
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One type is a solar eclipse, where the moon moves between the sun and the Earth. This blocks the sun’s light, casting a shadow on the planet. There are three types of solar eclipses: total, where the moon completely blocks the sun; partial, where the sun appears to have a small dark shadow on its surface, and annular, where the moon blocks the sun but the sun’s outer rim is still visible.
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Photo of sun eclipsed by moon bears uncanny resemblance to 'devil horns'
The visual phenomenon seen in the photo is the result of the moon eclipsing the sun at the same time that there was an inversion layer of unusually warm air in the Persian Gulf.
The "ring of fire" is an annular solar eclipse. NASA says it happens because the moon is too far away from Earth and cannot completely block out the sun’s view, leaving what appears to be a ring around the moon. "Annular" comes from the Latin word for "ring."
The last total solar eclipse, visible in the U.S., was in August 2017. An estimated 20 million people watched as the moon completely covered the sun.
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The next total eclipse will occur on April 8, 2024, visible from Texas to Maine, weather permitting.
The American Astronomical Society cautions people to wear eye protection, such as eclipse glasses, when trying to view the eclipse, saying it’s never safe to look directly into the sun’s rays.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.