As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse is a type of eclipse that occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun.
Various countries today got the chance to experience live the solar eclipse. Here are some of the most outstanding images captured as the day unfolded.
Photo Courtesy: The solar eclipse assumes ring-like shape. The rare solar eclipse over Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.
The incomplete “fire” ring seen as seen from another angle of the camera. Moon partially engulfs, blocks, sun rays from reaching the earth causing partial “darkness”.
When moon comes in between the sun and the earth, ‘a burning ball is seen’ in three dimensional. This is the most fascinating view that an individual can enjoy as the annual eclipse occurs.
Two dimensional picture caption shows the moon in between the sun and the earth causing ‘shadow’ at the center of the sun.
And there is the Golden view that you can really enjoy if have good apparatus to watch the eclipse, came across with.
Some areas usually witness total eclipse, with darkness engulfing the area for a few minutes.
How to watch the eclipse
It is not advisable to stare at the sun with naked eyes. This is because during the eclipse, there are higher chances of your sight being affected if you don’t use the necessary tools. Fortunately, there are recommended way for you to get a glimpse of the ring-of-fire solar eclipse.
A ring-of-fire eclipse is, more prosaically, also just called an annular eclipse, to distinguish it from a total eclipse of the sun. As the name suggests, during a total eclipse the path of the moon totally covers the sun during its peak.
The only way to safely view the Sun – eclipsed or not – is to either project or filter the Sun’s rays. The Sun’s UV radiation can burn the retinas in the eyes leading to permanent damage or even blindness. This can occur even if your eyes are exposed to direct sunlight for just a few seconds.
NASA recommends welder’s glasses rated 14 or higher. Keep in mind that welder glass grading may be different in different countries.
You can use special solar filters to watch the Sun during a solar eclipse, but use the proper type of solar filter that is designed for eclipses. Check that filters do not crack under the Sun’s magnified and focused intensity. Solar filters must be treated with care or they can quickly become damaged and unsafe to use.
What you should not use
NASA clearly lists the following materials as forbidden hence should not be used for such activity. They include color film, medical X-ray film with images on them, smoked glass, any kind of sunglasses and or CDs or computer floppy disks.
Anyway, just in case you missed today’s fun, remember next time to have the necessary and recommended appliances and wait for the fan.
What if I miss this eclipse?
The next solar eclipse will also be a ring of fire, and it will occur on February 26, 2017. During that event, the moon’s shadow will cross eastern South America. And the next total solar eclipse will grace our skies in August 2017, when the moon’s shadow will glide across a large part of the continental United States for the first time in 37 years