Will 'ring of fire' solar eclipse be visible in India on October 14?

A rare annular solar eclipse, also called the'ring of fire',is all set to take place on October 14. The sighting has been named so since it will appear like afire ringas the moon partially covers the middle bit of the sun. The rare astronomical eventcan be seen from North and South America, but there might be also some chances of its visibility from other parts of the world.

The'ring of fire' solar eclipse will pass in front of the sun between 8:35 pm India time on October 14 and 2:25 on October 15, according to NASA. Apart from Americas, it will also be visible from Mexico and some Central American countries.

'Ring of fire'Solar Eclipse

The annular eclipse appears when the moon passes in front of the sun, obscuring much of it, and leaves behind a brilliant ring called annulus or unfiltered sunlight. This phenomenon is known as an “annular” or “ring of fire” solar eclipse.

Like two Hula-Hoops, one inside the other and tipped, the path the sun appears to take around the sky once per year, and the moon’s monthly orbit intersect at two points, called nodes. We only get a solar eclipse when both the sun and moon are at a node at the same time; otherwise the moon “misses” the sun in the sky, passing it above or below.

Will the ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse be visible in India?

The ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse will not be visible in India. But you can still watch it through the live-stream that will be hosted by the NASA below.

The eclipse, with 125-mile-wide path of annularity, will begin in Oregon at 12: 13 pm EDT. It will then leave the US at about 1:03 pm EDT and head south-eastward towards Central and South America.

In Washington, the partial eclipse begins at noon on October 14, with the maximum eclipse occurring at 1:19 pm EDT. At this time, about 30 per cent of the sun’s disk will be obscured by the moon. The eclipse ends at 2:39 pm EDT.

With the right kind of protective eyewear, the astronomical event can be seen clearly. The duration of its appearance will vary from little more than one minute to almost five, depending upon where you are located in its path.

(With inputs from agencies)

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