BOSTON — A rare ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse of the sun is set for this Saturday and with the rain chances going down, New England may sneak a peak at the solar event.
During the annual solar eclipse, the moon will be in complete alignment with the sun and Earth. But because the moon is at its furthest distance away from the Earth in its orbit, so it never completely blocks the sun, creating the “ring of fire’ glow outlining the moon.
Although New England is far from the direct path that stretches from Oregon to Brazil, a partial eclipse may still be viewable in Boston from 12:18 p.m. to 2:33 p.m. Around 1:26 p.m., 17 percent of the sun will be blocked out by the Moon from Boston.
The next total solar eclipse, where the moon will be closer to Earth and completely block the sun will be viewable in New England on April 8, 2024.
The entire eclipse — from the moment the moon starts to obscure the sun until it’s back to normal — will last 2 1/2 to three hours at any given spot. The ring of fire portion lasts from three to five minutes, depending on location.
It’s never safe to look directly at the sun. To view the annular eclipse, wear certified eclipse glasses or use a handheld solar viewer. You can also observe with a telescope, binoculars, or camera.
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