Solar Eclipse Today

Solar Eclipse Today, An ‘annular solar eclipse’ is expected to become visible for those along its narrow 8,500-mile path, when the moon blocks around 90 per cent of the sun leaving just a thin ring around the edges.

Early risers in southern China, northern Taiwan and southeastern Japan will get the best view on Monday morning.

Thousands of people in the western U.S. will be treated to a rare ‘ring of fire’ eclipse this evening.

But viewing parties in the U.S. are eagerly awaiting the blazing halo of light, which will be visible on a path from northwestern Texas through New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, southern Utah, Nevada, northern California and southwestern Oregon from around 5.15pm today.

I recommend anyone who has the chance to see this, because while they do happen occasionally, it’s a fairly rare event,’ Jeffrey Newmark, a solar physics specialist with NASA, told CNN.

‘It’s a neat thing to see.’

The eclipse will follow a 8,500-mile path for three and a half hours but the ‘ring of fire’ will last just five minutes, depending on the viewing location.

People outside the narrow band – which measures around 200 feet – will see a partial eclipse.

The last annular eclipse appeared in the United States in 1994 and the next one is not expected for at least a decade.

The next solar eclipse will be on November 13 and NASA expects the best view to be from northern Australia.

‘For the May eclipse, the moon will be at the furthest distance from Earth that it ever achieves, meaning that it will block the smallest possible portion of the sun, and leave the largest possible bright ring around the outside,’ NASA said on its website. (Daily Mail)