‘Ring of fire’ solar eclipse dims Asia, Africa

On Jun 21, 2020 Last updated Oct 4, 2021

This combination of photos shows an annular solar eclipse, as seen from the Estancia El Muster, near Sarmiento, Chubut province, 1600 kilometres south of Buenos Aires on February 26, 2017. - Stargazers applauded as they were plunged into darkness Sunday when the moon passed in front of the sun in a spectacular "ring of fire" eclipse. (Photo by ALEJANDRO PAGNI / AFP)

People from west Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India and southern China witnessed on Sunday a dramatic “ring of fire” solar eclipse.

So-called annular eclipses occur when the Moon — passing between Earth and the Sun — is not quite close enough to our planet to completely obscure sunlight, leaving a thin ring of the solar disc visible.

They happen every year or two, and can only been seen from a narrow pathway across the planet.

Were the Moon just a wee bit closer -– 379,100 rather than 381,500 kilometres away -– Earthlings would be treated to a total blackout, visible at a given spot on our planet about every 400 years.

Remarkably, the eclipse Sunday arrives on the northern hemisphere’s longest day of the year — the summer solstice — when Earth’s north pole is tilted most directly towards the Sun.

The “ring of fire” was first seen in northeastern Republic of Congo at 5:56 local time (04:56 GMT) just a few minutes after sunrise.

This is the point of maximum duration, with the blackout lasting 1 minute and 22 seconds.

Arcing eastward across Africa and Asia, it will reach “maximum eclipse” — with a perfect solar halo around the Moon — over Uttarakhand, India near the Sino-Indian border at 12:10 local time (6:40 GMT).

More spectacular, but less long-lived: the exact alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun will be visible for only 38 seconds.

“The annular eclipse is visible from about two percent of Earth surface,” Florent Delefie, an astronomer and the Paris Observatory, told AFP.

“It’s a bit like switching from a 500-watt to a 30-watt light bulb,” he added. “It’s a cold light, and you don’t see as well.”

Happening now over the sky of Alamata, Ethiopia#SolarEclipse2020 pic.twitter.com/jOknIzLgTe

— Land of Origins (@Landoforigins) June 21, 2020

What the … another moon or what ?? Solar eclipse2020 #SolarEclipse2020 pic.twitter.com/BU2I4uRTbB

— Yatin Kohli (@kohliyatin141) June 21, 2020

Today on June 21, you will witness an annular solar eclipse which will show a ring of fire during the eclipse. Dont miss it! ??☀️#SolarEclipse2020 pic.twitter.com/LFVceDV3iF

— فق اوُُف ??/?? (@hamzaakbar777) June 21, 2020