The last annular eclipse in 2021 as viewed in Toronto. | Photo by Mark Blinch / Getty Images
Many eyes will turn to the sky on Saturday to catch a glimpse of an extremely rare “ring of fire” solar eclipse. But experts are cautioning against looking directly at the eclipse to avoid serious eye damage.
An annular eclipse occurs while the Moon is near or at the farthest point in its orbit around the Earth. The Moon, which appears smaller in the sky because of this distance, passes directly in front of the Sun, creating this “ring of fire” effect.
People across the contiguous United States and part of Alaska should be able to see the eclipse. Most regions will only see a partial eclipse, in which only a part of the Sun is covered up by the Moon.
A fuller eclipse will be viewable in parts of Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah,…