A rare “ring of fire” solar eclipse will be visible across parts of South America on Wednesday, creating a spectacular celestial event.
An annular solar eclipse, which occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun but doesn’t completely block the Sun’s light, will produce this unique “ring of fire” effect. Diego Hernandez of the Buenos Aires Planetarium explained that the Moon will be slightly farther from Earth than usual during the event, preventing it from fully covering the Sun.
“The Moon will cast a shadow, creating a bright ring of sunlight, known as the ‘ring of fire,’ while a crescent Sun will be visible just before and after the main event,” Hernandez said.
The path of the eclipse will begin over the North Pacific, move across the Andes and Patagonia in South America, and end in the Atlantic Ocean. According to NASA, the full eclipse will last more than three hours, from 17:00 to 20:30 GMT, with the “ring of fire” expected to occur briefly around 18:45 GMT.
Parts of Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, as well as areas of Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, and several Pacific and Atlantic islands, will witness a partial solar eclipse.
Experts from space agencies, including NASA, have advised that observing the eclipse without proper protection can result in permanent eye damage. Regular sunglasses do not provide adequate protection. Instead, NASA recommends using special certified eclipse glasses or indirect viewing methods such as a pinhole projector.
The next partial solar eclipse is expected on March 29, 2025, and will be visible from western North America, Europe, and northwest Africa.
