A rare celestial spectacle will grace the skies in several parts of the world — a striking annular solar eclipse, often dubbed the "ring of fire" eclipse.

This phenomenon occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun but, due to its greater distance from Earth, cannot entirely cover the Sun, leaving a glowing ring of sunlight.

The path of annularity, where the full "ring of fire" effect will be visible, begins over the Southern Pacific Ocean at 9:12 PM IST.

It will first reach land in southern Chile around 10:20 PM IST, crossing into parts of Argentina before concluding over the southern Atlantic Ocean at 2:09 AM IST on October 3.

One of the most notable viewing locations is Easter Island (Rapa Nui), where observers will see 87% of the Sun's disk covered. The annular phase there will last from 9:33 PM to 9:39 PM IST.

Although only around 1,75,000 people live within the path of annularity, millions more in South America will experience a partial eclipse. Major cities like Santiago, Chile (77% coverage) and Buenos Aires, Argentina (20% coverage) are expected to see the spectacle, while parts of Antarctica will also have a partial view.

The maximum eclipse will occur over Argentina at 12:15 AM IST on October 3. Viewers there will witness the Moon perfectly centered within the Sun’s disk, creating the iconic ring of fire for up to 7 minutes and 25 seconds.

It’s crucial for those watching to use proper eye protection, such as specialised solar filters, as looking directly at the Sun, even during an eclipse, can cause serious eye damage.

Source: India Today