This Saturday, October 14, a solar eclipse will be seen across the Americas, but what will you actually see? Aside from the progress of the moon across the sun only through solar eclipse glasses there are lots of moments, markers and unusual sights—some of them exclusive to this eclipse.
From inside a 125 miles wide path stretching across the U.S. Southwest and on to Central and South America, a “ring of fire” will be glimpsed for a few minutes. From everywhere else in the Americas a partial solar eclipse of varying proportions will be viewed.
If you’re inside or outside the path, these three sights are open to everyone:
1. First Contact
Safety: For solar eclipse glasses and solar filtered cameras/binoculars only!
The magical moment when the moon first takes a bite out of the sun is not to be missed. Sure, you can have the exact schedule of when the moon will appear to “touch” the sun from where you are but can you see it with your own eyes through your solar eclipse glasses? Watch a simulation for your location and you’ll know exactly where, as well as when, to look.
2. Sunspots
Safety: For solar eclipse glasses and solar filtered cameras/binoculars only!
Look at the sun’s surface at any time and you may see a sunspot or two. Sunspots are bundles of magnetic field on the surface of the sun that can trigger solar flares. There are plenty around at the moment because the sun is waxing towards its once-every-11-years “solar maximum.” That makes this eclipse a rare chance to watch the moon slide across a sunspot.
3. Crescent Suns
Although only pronounced when the sun is about 50% eclipsed—which won’t happen for much of the northeast U.S.—one sight worth looking for is the pinhole projection effect of tiny crescent suns projected onto your surroundings by anything with small defined holes. A kitchen colander or slotted spoon works well. So do leaves on trees—look below them!
4. Fuzzy Shadows
Although it doesn’t get dark during an annular solar eclipse (only during a total solar eclipse), the drop in sunlight creates strange, fuzzy shadows.
To see these following five sights you’ll need to be inside the path of annularity through Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Texas in the U.S. Or within the path through Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia and Brazil.
5. Baily’s Beads
Safety: For solar eclipse glasses and solar filtered cameras/binoculars only!
These droplets of sunlight coming through the moon’s valleys and mountains are visible at every central solar eclipse—annulars and totals. You’ll see them as a fizz when the limb of the moon moves across the limb of the sun before the ring (second contact) and after the ring (third contact). If you’re close to the centerline you’ll only get a brief glimpse. At the edge they can last for 30 seconds.
6. ‘Ring Of Fire’
Safety: For solar eclipse glasses and solar filtered cameras/binoculars only!
This is the obvious highlight for eclipse-chasers and the very reason for getting inside of the path of annularity. Its brief perfection is the attraction.
7. Rotation Illusion
Safety: For solar eclipse glasses and solar filtered cameras/binoculars only!
As the moon crosses the sun it looks like a normal progression until you get to the “ring of fire” moment when it will appear to rotate and change direction. It’s an odd optical illusion that only wears off as the moon begins to edge away.
8. Ringlet Shadows
You can watch crescent suns during any kind of partial solar eclipse, but only during an annular solar eclipse can you see “ringlets” projected—again through a colander, slotted spoon or through the leaves of trees.
9. Fourth Contact
Safety: For solar eclipse glasses and solar filtered cameras/binoculars only!
Don’t miss the final moment of the solar eclipse when the merest hint of a bite out of the sun recedes to nothing. It’s time to bid farewell to the moon as it continues its orbit around Earth.
I’m an expert on eclipses—the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of The Complete Guide To The Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024. For the very latest on the “ring of fire” solar eclipse check my main feed for new articles each day this week.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
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