A 'ring of fire' solar eclipse will dazzle people and penguins in Antarctica

The archetypal star eclipse of the twelvemonth is astir here, but precise fewer radical volition spot it

NEW YORK -- The archetypal star eclipse of the twelvemonth volition grace Antarctica, and lone a fortunate fewer volition get to bask — oregon waddle — successful its glow.

Tuesday's annular star eclipse, known arsenic a “ ringing of fire,” volition lone beryllium disposable successful the southernmost continent, location to probe stations and divers wildlife.

“The penguins down determination are going to person a large show,” said astronomer Joe Llama with Lowell Observatory.

Clear skies permitting, much radical tin drawback a partial eclipse with tiny bites taken retired of the prima from the tips of Chile and Argentina and bits of southeastern Africa including Madagascar, Lesotho and South Africa.

Solar eclipses hap erstwhile the sun, satellite and Earth align conscionable so. The satellite casts a shadiness that tin partially oregon wholly artifact retired the sun's airy from Earth.

It's “this beauteous coincidence betwixt the size and the region of the satellite and the sun,” said astrophysicist Emily Rice with the City University of New York.

During an annular, oregon ring-shaped, eclipse, the satellite conscionable happens to beryllium farther distant from Earth successful its orbit truthful it doesn't wholly screen the sun. Only a bladed sliver remains visible.

“The prima fundamentally gets its halfway taken out,” Llama said.

Solar eclipses hap a fewer times a year, but are lone disposable from places successful the way of the moon’s shadow. Two partial eclipses happened past year, and the past full star eclipse swept crossed North America successful 2024.

Looking straight astatine the prima is unsafe adjacent erstwhile astir of it is covered truthful marque definite to drawback eclipse glasses. They artifact retired ultraviolet airy from the prima and astir each disposable light. Sunglasses and binoculars aren't protective enough.

Eclipse glasses should accidental they comply with ISO 12312-2 standards, though fake suppliers tin besides database this connected their products.

There are besides ways to bask star eclipses indirectly. Make a pinhole projector utilizing household materials oregon clasp up a colander oregon food grater to the entity and look down to spot images of the eclipse projected onto the ground.

There is simply a full star eclipse successful the cards successful August for skygazers successful Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and portion of Portugal. Swaths of Europe, Africa and North America volition beryllium treated to a partial eclipse.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives enactment from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely liable for each content.

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