How to watch the 'ring of fire' solar eclipse on October 14

It's an exciting time for astronomy enthusiasts as October is expected to bring a dazzling solar event. On October 14, there will be an annular solar eclipse viewable from some parts of the US, Mexico, Central and South America. Unlike a total solar eclipse, where the moon fully covers the sun, an annular eclipse occurs when the moon sits at the part of its orbit farthest from Earth. Because of the distance, the moon looks too small to completely block the sun, which creates a bright ring of sunlight around a dark lunar silhouette. This is often referred to as the "ring of fire."

To view the eclipse safely in person, you'll need protective eyewear compliant with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard. You can also buy or create pinhole projectors. The eclipse will start over the Pacific Ocean and move southeast, passing over parts of the US, Mexico and Central/South America before moving over the Atlantic Ocean.

The exact start will vary, depending on your location. According to Scientific American, Eugene, Oregon will be the major city to see annularity. Folks in Eugene can expect to see the first contact at 8:06 AM PDT, the annularity for four minutes starting at 9:16 AM and then the last contact at 10:39 AM.

The entire US will be able to witness a partial eclipse but only those in the narrow shadow path will see the epic ring of fire. However, if you'd rather view the eclipse from inside or you're living somewhere outside of the mentioned places, you can watch online. There are several resources, including Fred Espenak's interactive map, NASA's website, and the Totality 3.0 app by the American Astronomical Society. NASA also has a live stream set to kick off at around 10:30 AM on YouTube.

While this may not be as cool to watch as a total solar eclipse, it's still worth checking out. If you're able to, you should definitely try to catch a glimpse but remember: safety first.

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