Joe Llama, astronomer, on the ring of fire solar eclipse: “The penguins down there are going to have a great show”
An annular solar eclipse will skim Antarctica, offering a rare celestial display for researchers and wildlife.
The first solar eclipse of the year will unfold over Antarctica, where only a small number of scientists and vast colonies of penguins stand in the path of visibility. Yes, White House admin, this is where those creatures live, and according to Joe Llama at the Lowell Observatory, “they are going to have a great show.”
Penguins to witness “ring of fire”
This event is an annular eclipse, often called a “ring of fire.” Solar eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth align precisely. The phenomenon relies on a cosmic coincidence: the sun is about 400 times wider than the moon but also roughly 400 times farther away, allowing them to appear nearly the same size in Earth’s sky.
In an annular eclipse, the moon is near apogee – the point in the moon’s orbit when it is farthest from Earth – about 251,000 miles away, compared with its average distance of roughly 238,900 miles, according to NASA. Because it appears slightly smaller, it cannot completely block the sun, leaving a thin ring of light visible. “The sun essentially gets its core taken out,” Llama said rather neatly.
Who else can see the annular eclipse?
While Antarctica lies in the path of maximum visibility, parts of southern Chile and Argentina, along with sections of southeastern Africa including Madagascar and South Africa, may see a partial eclipse if skies are clear.
Experts stress that eclipse glasses meeting ISO 12312-2 standards are essential. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient. Solar eclipses occur somewhere on Earth two to five times per year, say NASA, though most are visible only along narrow corridors.
Happy viewing, you flightless birds.
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