Christmas Day Eclipse: How To Watch The 'Ring of Fire' Eclipse Online, The Decade's Final Astro Gift

[Judi Lynn]

Dec 23, 2019, 10:00pm
Jamie Carter Contributor



QINGDAO, CHINA - JANUARY 15: (CHINA OUT) The Annular Solar Eclipse occurs on January 15, 2010 in ... [+]VISUAL CHINA GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Fancy watching a dramatic solar eclipse to round-off Christmas Day?

For sky-watchers, space fans and nature-lovers across the world, it’s two Christmases in one this year as a rare annular solar eclipse strikes the Middle East and Asia—and you can watch it all online.



Annular eclipse, An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon appears smaller than the Sun and leaves a ... [+]UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES

What is an annular solar eclipse?

An annular solar eclipse occurs when a New Moon is furthest from the Earth on its elliptical orbit, and on Christmas Day it will appear about one percent smaller in the sky. It can’t fully eclipse the Sun, and instead observers see a “ring of fire” or “ring of light” around the Moon. It’s essentially a pretty partial solar eclipse, and at all times observers need to wear protective solar eclipse glasses.



The path of annularity for the annular solar eclipse, which happens on Dec. 26 locally, but on Dec. 25 North America time.
XAVIER JUBIER & GOOGLE MAPS

Where is the Christmas Day 'Ring of Fire' solar eclipse?

It’s happening along a path that’s 118 kilometres wide. It will be visible from Saudi Arabia—where the sun will rise as a “ring of fire”—Qatar, the UAE, Oman, southern India, northern Sri Lanka, the Indian Ocean, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Guam, where the sun will set as a ring of fire. A partial solar eclipse will be visible across the Middle East, south-east Asia and Australia.

More:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2019/12/23/christmas-day-eclipse-how-to-watch-the-ring-of-fire-eclipse-online-the-decades-final-astro-gift/#404aa0124e64

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I've always wanted to see an annular eclipse!

Alas, this one won't be it.

But what I want to know: If you're supposed to use protective solar eclipse glasses, how on earth did someone manage to get that incredible photo? It's obviously not behind any sort of solar filter. I've used them in total solar eclipses, and colors like those just don't get through.

So how'd they do it? Is it the fact that the eclipse happened near the horizon, where the atmosphere is "thicker"?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. I saw an annular eclipse in 2012, and I will tell you,

that while interesting, it doesn't even remotely compare to a total eclipse. I got to see the 2017 one in Nebraska, and I'm already telling friends who live in Texas to plan on my visit in 2024.

Oh, and do you know about the total eclipse coming up in 2045? It will be right before my 97th birthday, and so if you are at all younger than I am, you should plan on it. Actually, I'm constantly telling people about this one, and I expect I will be single-handedly responsible for the fact that all the nursing homes anywhere near the path of totality will be completely emptied out.

Here's a link: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2045-august-12

If I am still here in Santa Fe I will only need to go to Colorado Springs to be in the path of totality, and I already know people who live there.

Oh, and the reason you want to see that eclipse? Totality will last up to six full minutes. It was only a bit over two minutes in 2017.