What is a “ring of fire” eclipse like the one seen in Chile and Argentina

This Wednesday, October 2, certain Latin American countries, notably Chile and Argentina, will be able to witness an important astronomical phenomenon.

We are talking about a annular solar eclipse also known as “ring of fire” which promises to offer a fascinating spectacle to those observing the sky from Earth.

The event will occur at a time when Chile has already witnessed two total solar eclipses in the past five years. The first took place on July 2, 2019 in the Coquimbo region, while the second took place on December 14, 2020 in the La Araucanía region.

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, leaving all three perfectly aligned. During this event, the Moon is at or near the furthest point from our planet.

According to the JAR this causes the Moon to appear only slightly smaller than the Sun and fails to completely cover its light. Accordingly, The Moon looks like a large dark disk on top of a slightly larger, brighter disk. creating what appears to be a “ring of fire” in the sky.

Unlike what happens during a total solar eclipse, during an annular solar eclipse, the sky does not darken. This is because, even if the event reaches its maximum point, the Moon cannot obstruct all of the sunlight and at least a percentage of the star is exposed.

These types of eclipses are also generally the longest. The space agency assures that although it is normal for the “ring of fire” to occur for five or six minutes, it could extend for more than ten minutes.

According to the BBC The annular solar eclipse will begin its journey in the central Pacific Ocean, specifically southwest of Hawaii. Shortly thereafter, the Moon will move east and southeast, entering the South Pacific Ocean.

Certain regions of Chile will have a privileged view to observe the astronomical phenomenon in its maximum splendor. These are Rapa Nui and Cochrane, where the Moon will be able to cover the surface of the Sun by up to 93% and 92% respectively.

In the rest of the country, the phenomenon is only partially visible. The other cities which will have more visibility, according to CATA, are Coyhaique (85%) , Punta Arenas (75%) And Chiloe (75%) . In the meantime, In Santiago, Earth’s natural satellite will block just 44% of the Sun’s surface.

In Argentina, the annular solar eclipse will also be visible throughout the territory, but the provinces of Río Negro, Chubut and Santa Cruz are the ones that will be able to see it best.

The astronomical phenomenon will arrive this Wednesday, October 2. Although it starts around noon, the peak can be seen at different times of the day, depending on where people are.

In the case of Rapa Nui, for example, the event will take place around 2:07 p.m., lasting six minutes as described by Diego Mardones, associate astronomer of the Center for Astrophysics and Related Technologies (CATA) .

In Cochrane, a town in the Aysén region, the peak will occur around 5:25 p.m. Meanwhile, in Santiago, the process will begin at 4:00 p.m. and reach its peak at 5:26 p.m., ending around 6:30 p.m.

Observing the Sun without adequate protection will always pose a risk to your eyesight.

But in the case where an annular solar eclipse occurs, it must be considered that in None of its phases are safe to look at directly, because sunlight is not completely blocked. This puts people at risk of developing serious eye damage or even going blind.

The recommendation of experts is that, to protect your eyesight, it is necessary to use solar observation lenses comply with international safety certification ISO 12312-2 the same ones that were distributed in the country during the eclipses of 2019 and 2020. Before using them, try to check if they are broken, scratched or damaged.

From NASA, they point out that solar observation lenses are “thousands of times darker” than ordinary solar glasses. For the same reason, these cannot be used safely during an eclipse.

Looking at the Sun through camera lenses, telescopes, binoculars or other similar devices can also pose a risk to your eyesight. This is because concentrated sunlight could still pass through and burn the filter, then enter your eyes.

Since during an eclipse many people are exposed to direct sunlight for several hours, other precautionary measures to consider are the use of sun protection, a hat and protective clothing, so to avoid damage to the skin.

Fortunately, the same astronomical event will repeat itself in the coming years and some regions of Chile will be able to see it again at its peak.

According to ACTA, A new annular solar eclipse will take place on February 6, 2027 where the areas of Los Lagos and Aysén will have a privileged view. The southern area of ​​Chiloé Island will be where the Moon will cover most of the Sun’s surface.