Why is the October 2 annular solar eclipse called ‘ring of fire’?

On Wednesday October 2, sky gazers in some southern areas of South America will be treated to an annular solar eclipse - a celestial phenomenon known colloquially as a ‘ring of fire’.

What’s an annular eclipse and why’s it called ‘ring of fire’?

According to NASA, an annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun while at its furthest point from our planet.

As the distance between the Earth and the Moon is greater than usual, the satellite does not completely cover the Sun at any stage of the eclipse.

At the peak point of the eclipse - known as ‘annularity’ - the Sun is still visible around the edges of the Moon, causing what looks like a ‘ring of fire’.

Where can you see the annular eclipse?

Annularity will only be visible in some parts of Argentina and Chile.

Where can you see a partial eclipse?

A partial solar eclipse - in which only a section of the Moon blocks the sun - will be visible over many more locations, albeit nowhere in the continental United States. The only areas in the US that will get to see the partial eclipse are Hawaii, and two US Minor Outlying Islands: Baker Island and Palmyra Atoll.

According to Time and Date, observers in the Hawaiian capital, Honolulu, will be able to see the partial eclipse between about 6:30 a.m. HST - the point at which sunrise occurs - and just after 7:50 a.m HST.

Per NASA, the partial eclipse will also be visible in all or part of American Samoa, Antarctica, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cook Islands, Falkland Islands, Fiji. French Polynesia, Mexico, New Zealand, Niue, Paraguay, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uruguay, and Wallis and Futuna.