Spectacular ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse stuns crowds in the United States
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A rare “ring of fire” eclipse of the sun has thrilled crowds across the US as it makes its way across the Americas.
Early on Saturday morning, local time, spectators were treated to a variety of spectacular views as the moon lined up between Earth and the sun, creating a bright, blazing border.
The moon doesn’t completely cover the sun during a “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse, unlike during a total solar eclipse.
Crowds cheered as the spectacular celestial show began, with a five-minute display in Oregon.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the skies briefly darkened, then crescent-shaped shadows appeared on the ground, before the moon moved into place, completing the ring.
From Oregon, the eclipse’s path takes in Utah, New Mexico and Texas, before touching on California, Arizona and Colorado.
San Antonio, Texas. Pic: AP
From there it heads to Central and South America.
Much of the rest of the Western Hemisphere gets a partial eclipse.
In Albuquerque, it coincided with an annual international balloon fiesta that typically draws tens of thousands of spectators and hundreds of hot air balloon pilots from around the world.
Los Angeles. Pic: AP
People there got a double treat, with a mass lift-off of the balloons shortly after dawn and then the eclipse a couple of hours later.
Eighty thousand pairs of view glasses had been provided for the massive crowd and some pilots used their propane burners to shoot flames upward in unison as the spectacle unfolded.
Los Angeles. Pic: AP
Balloon pilot, Allan Hahn, a 34-year veteran of the festival, said: “It’s very exciting to be here and have the convergence of our love of flying with something very natural like an eclipse.”
Viewing all depends on clear skies and some unlucky parts of the US were expecting cloudy skies.
Los Angeles. Pic: AP
NASA, which is livestreaming the annular eclipse, has warned eclipse-watchers not to look at the event without proper precautions.
It says people will need to use specialised solar filters or an indirect viewing method to safely watch the event.
The solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. Pic: AP
But for the likes of John Edwards, who travelled alone across the country to Utah to see it, streaming was never going to be enough.
He said it was “one of those things that unites us all. This is about as rare as it gets”.
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Caroline McGuire, from Toronto, who was in Utah on holiday, not knowing the eclipse was imminent, described it simply as “epic, epic”.
Kirby James said: “It’s the moment, especially when the ring of fire came on, you realised you were having a lifetime experience.
“Nothing that you can read could prepare you for how it feels.”
Eugene, Oregon. Pic: AP
Less impressed was Koren Marsh, whose parents drove her five hours from Seattle to see it, as part of her 16th birthday present.
But poor viewing weather left her “underwhelmed but I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed,” she said. “It was worth it to me because I like science.”
Stargazers on the East Coast will see less of the event, with New York expected to have a quarter eclipse around noon.
The duration of the eclipse – from the moment the moon starts to cross in front of the sun until it is back to normal – is up to three hours at any given location.
Depending on where it is being viewed, the ring of fire portion will last from three to five minutes.
