People are getting ready for an amazing event—this year’s second and last solar eclipse. It will create a special “ring of fire” in the sky. Just six months after the last total solar eclipse, the sky will give us another show, but this one will be different.
A “ring of fire” happens when the moon moves between the Earth and the Sun. But unlike a total eclipse, the moon won’t fully cover the Sun. Instead, it will leave a bright ring of sunlight around its edges, making a fiery circle in the sky. Sadly, only some parts of the world will be able to see this.
This event will be seen mostly in parts of South America, especially in Chile and Argentina, on the night between Wednesday and Thursday. The moon will be farther from Earth than usual, so it won’t block the whole Sun. This is why people in these places will see the “ring of light” around the moon. Diego Hernandez, a scientist at the Buenos Aires Planetarium, says that before and after the ring appears, people will also see a “crescent sun” as the moon passes in front of it.
The eclipse will follow a special path. It will start over the North Pacific Ocean, then pass across the Andes mountains and Patagonia in South America, and finally end over the Atlantic Ocean. According to NASA, the whole eclipse will last more than three hours, from around 1700 GMT to about 2030 GMT. The best part—the “ring of fire”—will happen at around 1845 GMT and will last only a few minutes.
If you are not in the full eclipse path, don’t worry. A partial eclipse will be visible in many other places, like Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, parts of Brazil, Mexico, and even as far as New Zealand and some islands in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
But be careful! Looking at the eclipse without proper eye protection can seriously hurt your eyes. Regular sunglasses won’t protect you—you need special eclipse glasses. Another safe way is to project the Sun’s image onto another surface using a small hole in a piece of paper.
If you miss this eclipse, don’t worry. The next partial solar eclipse will happen on March 29, 2025. It will be visible in parts of western North America, Europe, and northwest Africa.
As the universe moves, it gives us these special moments where science and beauty come together. So, whether you see the full eclipse or just a part of it, remember to look up—safely—and enjoy the wonders of the universe.
