What Is an Annular Eclipse?

  • Released Friday, April 14, 2023
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On Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. Visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America, millions of people in the Western Hemisphere can experience this eclipse. But what is an annular eclipse? Why does it happen? And why does it create a “ring of fire” in the sky?

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Music: "Insect Village" by Anthony Donje [PRS] from Universal Production Music

Complete transcript available.

An annular solar eclipse photographed on May 20, 2012. Credit: NASA/Bill Dunford

An annular solar eclipse photographed on May 20, 2012.
Credit: NASA/Bill Dunford

An annular eclipse creates a "ring of fire" around the Moon, similar to that seen in this image taken by JAXA/NASA Hinode spacecraft on January 4, 2011.

An annular eclipse creates a "ring of fire" around the Moon, similar to that seen in this image taken by JAXA/NASA Hinode spacecraft on January 4, 2011.

Shadow of an annular eclipse seen from the International Space Station on May 20, 2012.Credit: NASA/Don Pettit

Shadow of an annular eclipse seen from the International Space Station on May 20, 2012.
Credit: NASA/Don Pettit

For More Information

See https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/home/

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Friday, April 14, 2023.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 3:08 PM EDT.

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