What is a “ring of fire” eclipse like the one that will be seen from Chile and Argentina this October 2

And astronomical event will once again surprise part of Latin America.

It is a annular solar eclipse -also called “ring of fire”- which this Tuesday, October 2, will be seen in whole or in part from some regions of Argentina and Chile.

Here we tell you the main characteristics of this type of eclipses, why they occur and where you can see them best.

An annular solar eclipse like this Tuesday occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking most of the light from our star reaching the planet.

Colloquially it is called a ring of fire eclipse because the phenomenon leaves a visible thin ring of light.

“An annular eclipse occurs only when the Moon is at its furthest from Earth. In perspective for us on Earth, it doesn’t completely block the light from the Sun, so you get this incredible ring of fire around the Moon,” Nicola Fox, from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, explained to the BBC.

This type of eclipse is generated because the Moon’s orbit around the Earth is elliptical. That is why there are times when the Earth satellite is further away and appears smaller.

According to NASA, these eclipses are usually the longest, since the ring can even see each other for more than ten minutes, although in general they do not last more than five or six.

You probably remember the annular eclipse on October 14 of last year (2023), which could be seen from much of America, including several regions of Mexico, Central America and South America.

On that occasion, millions of people watched as the sun transformed into an incredible “ring of fire” for more than 5 minutes.

Although this time the phenomenon is the same, the difference is that Much of the eclipse path will pass over open ocean waters (and not in populated areas).

That is why experts warn that enjoying the astronomical phenomenon this Tuesday will be quite a challenge.

Your journey will begin at a point on the central Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and southwest of Hawaii.

The Moon’s shadow will then move east and then southeast, entering the southern Pacific Ocean.

One of the places where the “ring of fire” will be best seen is in the Easter Island, where thousands of people will be able to contemplate the phenomenon.

And the land of the famous moai – also called Rapa Nui – is located exactly in the path of the eclipse. It is expected that around 1:00 p.m. the solar ring will form in that place.

According to the specialized website Spaceat the point of greatest eclipse, the annular phase will last 7 minutes and 24 seconds, moment in which It will have a width of 265 kilometers.

In addition to being an eye-catching spectacle, astronomers take advantage of eclipses to study various aspects of the Sun and Earth.

Eclipses also allow us to analyze the “active regions” of the Sun, which form on sunspots when the Moon moves over them, according to NASA.

The Moon’s gradual passage through the Sun blocks different active regions, allowing scientists to distinguish the light signals that come from each region.

Observing solar eclipses requires eye protection.

“With an annular eclipse, because the sunlight is not completely blocked, you have to wear eclipse glasses,” Fox noted.

Looking directly at the Sun during an annular solar eclipse, even when some of its light is blocked, can cause serious eye damage or blindness.

Local authorities in places where eclipses can be seen usually offer approved glasses for this type of events or a pinhole projector.

Sunlight through a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope without a special solar filter can also cause serious eye injuries.

Therefore, it is best to prepare.

And although an annular eclipse may be less impressive than a total one, for experts it is an equally special phenomenon.

“Although a total solar eclipse is more exciting because you can see the Sun’s corona, it is actually much rarer to see an annular solar eclipse, so it is something really interesting,” said Nicola Fox.