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"Ring of Fire" solar eclipse to pass the Americas Saturday, visible to millions in Western U.S.

A bright orange fiery ring surrounds the round black moon as it crosses in front of the sun
JAXA
/
NASA
Photo of an annular solar eclipse taken by the solar optical telescope Hinode as the Moon came between it and the Sun.

This coming Saturday, an annular, or “ring of fire” solar eclipse will cross the Americas and be visible to millions of people. The “ring of fire” eclipse will be visible in eights states in the West and Southwest, including Arizona.

NASA has released an interactive map to track the solar eclipse across its path. The point of greatest eclipse will happen off the coast of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. That’s where a ring of fire may be visible for around 5 minutes. https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/webapps/eclipse-explorer/https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/webapps/eclipse-explorer/https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/webapps/eclipse-explorer/

Scientists say it’s important to view the eclipse with special eclipse viewing glasses as an annular eclipse is never completely blocked by the moon.