'Ring of fire' annular solar eclipse, Doha, Qatar
'Ring of fire' annular solar eclipse, Doha, Qatar (© Sorin Furcoi/Getty Images)
'Ring of fire' solar eclipse
Sky gazers and scientists have all been counting down to today: an annular solar eclipse is here to darken the skies over the Americas! A solar eclipse is nothing more than an alignment of the sun, Earth and moon that has the Earth passing through the moon's shadow. But why is today different? The moon is going to be farthest from the Earth because of its elliptical orbit. When it does, it will appear smaller, letting the sun's brilliance peek through and create a halo—the 'Ring of Fire.' Seen here from Doha, Qatar, in 2019, the phenomenon will begin today in the United States—traveling from Oregon to Texas. It will then continue on to Central America and end in South America. While the 'ring of fire' is visible only within a specific path, partial eclipses will grace parts of all 50 states.
If you are fortunate enough to see this cosmic show, please be cautious. Viewers should not look directly inat the sun without specialized eye protection. Don't hesitate to make travel plans to see it, as the US will have to wait until 2039 for the next such event.
© Sorin Furcoi/Getty Images