Amazing phenomenon - the 'annular eclipse' glows in the sky today

At 13 pm today, September 1, the Moon will move to the front of the Sun but because the smaller Moon cannot cover the Sun , leaving a bright edge is shaped like a ring. This phenomenon is called an annular solar eclipse , which can be observed in areas around the southern coast of India.

The solar eclipse was taken with Hinode satellite on January 4, 2011. Image Source: NASA / Hinode / XRT

Solar eclipse is when the Moon forms a fringe of light instead of completely blocking the Sun 's light. It is called an annular solar eclipse or a " fire circle " eclipse . Although the solar eclipse will appear today (September 1), not a total solar eclipse , it will still be a beautiful sight. The next annular eclipse will be available in February 2017 and the total solar eclipse in August 2017.

Pasachoff said: " The best possible observation of this entire solar eclipse on September 1 is in southern Africa. It takes about 10 hours to drive south of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, observations. The observer will find the best place to observe the solar eclipse. The observer can see the Moon through the Sun on September 1 at 2am EST (13h Vietnam time) '.

If not in Tanzania at that time, you can follow the solar eclipse from the interactive Google map of NASA (interactive Google map) or follow the detailed chart and the forecast directly on newspaper pages like: Eclipsewise. com.

Jay Pasachoff , an astronomer at Williams College in Massachusetts, said: " To observe this cosmic event, I will have to go to Reunion - the eastern island of Madagascar. I will also monitor the eclipse. announcer takes place in Chile in February 2017 ".

Pasachoff answered Space.com: " I think only amateur astronomers come here to observe the solar eclipse. 'Fire circle' - the annular eclipse is interesting but it doesn't But if it's a total solar eclipse , we will encourage people to try to go there to observe the picture of path of totality .

( The picture illustrates the entire range as the area where the Moon will lie completely, covering the sun .)

What is the annular eclipse?

Solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun when viewed from Earth, when the Moon completely obscures or part of the Sun. In the total solar eclipse , the Moon completely obscures the Sun , which can be viewed directly with the naked eye safely. But the solar eclipse recommends , the Moon does not completely cover the Sun, possibly because the Earth and the Moon have an elliptical orbit ( not a circle ).

Pasachoff said: " The Earth's orbit is almost the same as the ellipse, and the Moon 's orbit is elliptical, so sometimes the Moon will be a little further away. When far away, it will be smaller and more difficult. can cover the entire disk of the Sun ".

As a result, the edges of the Sun are only visible behind the shadow of the Moon , which looks like a ring or ' fire circle '.

After 18 months or longer, somewhere on Earth will appear annular eclipse and a total solar eclipse . Sometimes solar eclipses do not occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun because the Moon's orbit is tilted about 5 degrees above Earth's orbit around the Sun. When the Moon's shadow passes through the Sun, its central part is not aligned with the center of the Sun and is known as a partial solar eclipse - when the Moon is too high or too high. low to cover the whole sun.

The NASA chart shows the motion of the annular eclipse going through Africa on September 1, 2016. Image Source: NASA / Fred Espenak

Tools for observing solar eclipses?

You should not use the naked eye to observe an eclipse.Photo source: Karl Tate, SPACE.com

Today's solar eclipse (September 1) is expected to last about 10 minutes, so you don't need to camp for a long time. Just like skywatching events, it is important to be careful, especially to avoid harming your eyes.

WARNING : When looking directly at the Sun, even looking in a solar eclipse may give your eyes an eye injury or permanent blindness without eye protection.

To safely observe a solar eclipse , you need to wear a special type of glasses to protect your eclipse or eclipse glasses. Normal glasses, even UV-proof glass, cannot protect your eyes. If you plan to learn solar eclipse material with any imaging device, special light filters can certainly help you observe the light circle without affecting your vision. However, Pasachoff advises you to avoid dirtying or ruining tools if you don't want to miss these great scenes. The safest way to observe an eclipse is to observe indirectly, using a pinhole camera to be easily observed at home.

" Specialized instruments by amateur astronomers can be telescopes but for those who first observe the solar eclipse, we recommend that you only watch. Total eclipse is a special event. You just need to enjoy that beautiful scene by setting a continuous shooting mode with your camera, and if you have to prove it in a document, choose a wide angle right away and even if you need to use it. your phone ".

When is total solar eclipse?

The next solar eclipse will take place February 26, 2017 - the predicted eclipse point appears to be off the east coast of South America. The total solar eclipse is expected to take place August 21, 2017, called " Great American Eclipse " because the best observation place is inside the American continent. For this event, Pasachoff said: ' Now is the time to plan travel and make a reservation if you want to observe the photo illustrating the entire eclipse strip .'