In Exactly One Year A Rare 'Solstice Ring Of Fire Eclipse' Will Race Across Earth

An annular eclipse, in which the moon passes in front of the sun leaving only a golden ring around its edges. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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On Tuesday, July 2, 2019, there will be a total solar eclipse in the Southern Hemisphere. It will plunge parts of the South Pacific, Chile and Argentina into totality, abrief darkness in the day similar to what happened across the USA during August 21, 2017's "Great American Eclipse." However, it's now exactly one year until next summer’s extra-special "annular" solar eclipse that will be visible on the day of the northern hemisphere's summer solstice; June 21, 2020.

Unlike most eclipses, which largely happen at sea, this one is mostly over land, with a narrow "path of annularity" across Africa and Asia. 

The various stages of an annular solar eclipse seen over Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)

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What is an annular solar eclipse?

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is far from Earth on its monthly elliptical monthly orbit, so appears to be smaller in the sky than the Sun. Therefore, when the conditions are right for an eclipse, the Moon only covers the center of our Sun. A partial solar eclipse for a few hours, it peaks as a circle around the Moon, and it's therefore known as a "ring of fire" eclipse. What makes an annular solar eclipse very different from a total solar eclipse is that you must always wear protective solar eclipse glasses to view the entire event (at a total solar eclipse, observers can remove their solar eclipse glasses during the short totality). During an annular solar eclipse, the solar corona never becomes visible. However, they're great events to watch, and if you're in the area, worth seeing. Any kind of eclipse is worth knowing about; if you're planning a vacation to any of the locations in the path, it makes sense to delay/bring forward that trip to coincide with an eclipse.

What about the 'Christmas Eclipse?'

The events of June 21, 2020 are not the "next" annular solar eclipse. That honor goes to the "Christmas Eclipse", a similar event happening on December 26, 2019. That event will be seen at sunrise on the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Oman), and later in the day in southern India, northern Sri Lanka, the Indian Ocean and Indonesia, ending at sunset in Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

The path of annularity on June 21, 2020. You can find an interactive version here.

XAVIER JUBIER HTTP://XJUBIER.FREE.FR. MAP DATA © GOOGLE IMAGERY © 2019 TERRAMETRICS

What will happen on June 21, 2020? 

Beginning at 03:45 UT and continuing until 09:33 UT – and visible as a big partial solar eclipse across much of Africa and Asia – the ‘ring of fire’ will be visible at sunrise in the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, then as a higher spectacle in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, India, Tibet, China & Taiwan. Sunset is in the Pacific Ocean, again near Guam.

How long is the 'Solstice Ring Of Fire Eclipse’?

Up to a minute depending on where you view from, though it’s just 23 seconds in Tibet. That's compared with around three minutes for the upcoming "Christmas Eclipse", but there are some reasons for eclipse-chasers to prioritize the events on June 21, 2020.

The "Baily's beads" effect during the "GReat American Eclipse" of August 21, 2017. Experienced eclipse-chasers will try to see Baily's beads during June 21, 2020's annular solar eclipse.

NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

What will the 'Solstice Ring Of Fire Eclipse' look like?

The Sun will be 99% obscured, which is a lot for an annular solar eclipse. It might be possible to witness "shadow bands" since they occur just before totality during total solar eclipses when the Sun is 99% eclipsed. For the same reason, Baily’s beads (named after British astronomer Francis Baily, who first recorded them) may be visible at the edge of the Moon blocks the Sun. That makes it a bit of a standout opportunity for purists since Baily’s beads are usually only visible during a total solar eclipse. To see them, eclipse-chasers will travel to the edge of the "path of annularity" on June 21, 2020, where instead of seeing a perfect circle, they will see the edge of the Moon appearing to completely block the Sun. From there it may also be possible to see something of the solar corona for a brief second. 

However, these kinds of observations are difficult, require extensive planning and practice, and can be dangerous. They're best attempted by experienced eclipse experts, and in any case, it's a perfect "Ring of Fire" that most people want to see.

The Potala Palace (one time residence of the Dalai Lama) from a Chakpori hill in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet.

Getty

Where should I go see the 'Solstice Ring Of Fire Eclipse?'

Ethiopia, Oman or Tibet, according to eclipse expert Jay Anderson. The center of the path crosses right overhead of Lalibela, home to distinctive rock-cut churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. It's a pilgrimage site for Coptic Christians and on all Ethiopian travel itineraries. Oman is a great place for a road trip (and offers awesome stargazing opportunities), but in June it’s so very hot, and there’s also often a lot of dust in the air. However, the annular solar eclipse will be visible just south of Muscat, Oman's capital and a major global airline hub, so it's easy to get to, and cloud cover is unlikely. North of Lhasa, Tibet should also be clear and, since it's at very high altitude, ought to offer a superb view. "For access to comfortable conditions with tourist infrastructure, though only fair cloud conditions, go to Lalibela in Ethiopia," writes Anderson. "For clear skies and good weather prospects in a more rugged environment, go to Tibet. For those willing to endure, go to Oman." 

Lalibela, Ethiopia: 7:59 a.m (1 minute 1 second) 

Quriyat, Oman: 9:39 a.m. (37 seconds) 

(north of ) Lhasa, Tibet: 3.13 p.m. (23 seconds) 

Famous Rock-Hewn Church of Saint George - Bete Giyorgis in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

Getty

Where else will the 'Solstice Ring Of Fire Eclipse’ be visible?

After crossing a very remote part of Central Asia, the ‘ring of fire’ will then be viewable in Xiamen, China, a port city on the country’s southeast coast across from Taiwan. It’s then visible in Chiayi City, Taiwan, before it crosses the empty ocean, setting just south of Guam. China are Taiwan, however, are worth avoiding; 95% cloud cover is common at that time of year.

Wishing you wide eyes and clear skies

Disclaimer: I am the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com

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