Oslo, Feb.18 (SANA) An annular solar eclipse was visible Tuesday, with the “ring of fire” effect most clearly seen over Antarctica.
The eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun but appears smaller in the sky, leaving a bright ring of sunlight visible around its edges.
According to the Norwegian astronomy platform Time and Date, only about 2% of the world’s population was positioned to observe the full annular phase of the eclipse. Partial phases were visible in parts of Antarctica, as well as regions of Africa and the Americas.
C. Alex Young, associate director for science communication in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said annular eclipses happen when the moon is at a greater distance from Earth in its orbit, preventing it from fully covering the sun.
NASA data indicate annular eclipses occur roughly every one to two years. The next annular eclipse is expected on Feb. 6, 2027, and will be visible over Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and parts of West Africa.
