How special is the ring of fire eclipse in October?
Whenever the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun, its shadow falls on the Earth. Due to this people see many unique sights in the world. Sometimes the whole sun is hidden behind the moon and sometimes people only see a bright ring. But the solar eclipse that will be visible in some parts of the world on the 14th of next month will bring a different kind of scene as it will not be an ordinary solar eclipse but will be an annular solar eclipse. This astronomical phenomenon is often called the Ring of Fire. It is really interesting to know why and how this particular shape is formed.
How many types of solar eclipse?
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the intense brightness of the sun. Because of this, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, appears very faint. But it is not always the case that the moon completely covers the sun. This happens only when the moon passes through a particularly narrow path. This path is called the path of totality.
When is the circular solar eclipse?
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are in the same line relative to the Earth but the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun. In such a situation, the Sun appears as a ring, known as an annulus, that surrounds the dark disk of the Moon.
What is the ring of fire eclipse?
Compared to a normal total solar eclipse, where the Moon completely blocks the Sun, a penumbral solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is at its furthest point in Earth’s orbit. This means that the moon appears slightly smaller than the sun in the sky, and because of this it does not cover the sun completely, causing the ring of fire to appear all around.
