Here’s What You Need to Know About Catching ‘The Ring of Fire’ This June!

What with the circuit breaker, skywatching has become part and parcel of my daily routine. The skies present a free-for-all light show every day; it’s something you can catch a glimpse of any time and share with people all over, no matter where on this Earth you may be. In any case, witnessing celestial events have become a form of comfort and coping, especially in the time of this pandemic.

Also read: The Eight Most Significant Pandemics in Human History

So fret not if you missed the recent supermoon or the penumbral lunar eclipse that graced our skies. Look forward to this cosmic gift happening later this month — the Ring of Fire!

The Ring of Fire is set to appear on 21 June 2020, coinciding with another special occasion — Father’s Day. If the weather cooperates, those living in parts of Asia as well as Africa may catch a glimpse of this annular solar eclipse. In other regions, a partial eclipse may be observed instead. A partial eclipse means that the moon doesn’t completely cover the sun, but we can imagine the sight will still be as spectacular!

Building up to the event, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently released footage of the Ring of Fire from Western Australia back in 2013. This gives us an inkling of what to expect this coming 21 June.

Fun facts about the Ring of Fire solar eclipse

Image credit: Kevin Baird

• According to NASA, an annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon is at the farthest from Earth. Thus, the moon appears smaller in size. 
• This results in the moon blocking the centre of the sun, leaving a narrow ring of sunlight around the moon.
• The phenomenon is the reason behind the term “annular” solar eclipse. The word stems from the Latin annulus, which means ring-shaped. Simply put, this explains the moniker, “Ring of Fire”!
• The eclipse’s best form and view are expected to be seen at 2.41am EDT (6.41am GMT) on 21 June. 
• Even for those who may not be able to witness the eclipse in real life, fret not as you can still enjoy livestreams of the annular solar eclipse.

Tip: Nevertheless, take care not to gaze directly at the sun amidst the flurry of excitement. Keep in mind that looking directly at the sun could be damaging to your eyes.

Also read: 12 Best Places in the World to Go Stargazing

Although celestial events are often unpredictable, let’s look forward to more detailed updates and top eclipse-viewing tips along the way. Like the rest of the world, we hope to catch a glimpse of the Ring of Fire, too!