Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse Set to Dazzle Spectators in Kansas

Kansas residents may be able to see the Ring of Fire in the sky, an annular solar eclipse, as reported by Fox4. The Ring of Fire will appear on October 14, 2023.

(Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP/GettyImages)
A "ring of fire" annular solar eclipse is seen in Kanarraville, Utah, May 20, 2012. The tiny town of Kanarraville, 40 miles north of St George and 263 miles south of Salt Lake City, marked the town's"sweet spot" location where an almost perfect annular eclipse could be seen bringing visitors and vendors to the solar eclipse viewing "party."

An annular solar eclipse takes place when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun while it is at its farthest point from Earth, according to NASA.

It is also referred to as a ring of fire, which will cross over North, Central, and South America in the fall of 2023. The ring of fire will be partially visible to Kansans.

It will look like a fire ring in the sky. However, remember that it's not safe to look at it directly without proper filters.

The Ring of Fire

The ring of fire this year will start at 10:25 am on October 14, 2023, for those in Northeast Kansas. This is when the curvature of the moon will be visible against the sun. The eclipse will be at its fullest around 11:49 am and end at 1:19 pm.

This will be the last annual solar eclipse visible from the continental US until June 21, 2039.

Also read: Ring Around the Sun Called 22-Degree Halo

A Total Solar Eclipse

Kansans are in for a treat in 2024, as there will be a total solar eclipse that will be highly visible in northeast Kansas. Those in the southeast can also see the total solar eclipse at 95 percent.

A 'Ring of Fire' eclipse, also known as an annular solar eclipse, occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but the Moon is too far from Earth to completely block the Sun. This creates a stunning visual effect where the Sun appears as a bright ring of fire around the dark outline of the Moon.

Unlike a total solar eclipse, where the Moon completely covers the Sun and the sky goes dark, a Ring of Fire eclipse is a partial eclipse. During this event, the Sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, can still be seen shining around the Moon, creating a unique and beautiful spectacle.

Ring of Fire eclipses occur about once every 18 months, but they are only visible from a narrow path on Earth. This is because the Moon's orbit is tilted, and it only crosses the plane of Earth's orbit at two points, known as the nodes. When a Ring of Fire eclipse occurs, it is only visible from the areas of Earth that are aligned with these nodes.

The most recent Ring of Fire eclipse occurred on June 10, 2021, and was visible from parts of Canada, Greenland, and Russia. The next one will occur on December 4, 2021, and will be visible from Antarctica.

While Ring of Fire eclipses may not be as awe-inspiring as total solar eclipses, they are still unique and exciting astronomical events to witness. However, it's important to take precautions when viewing any type of solar eclipse, as looking directly at the Sun can cause permanent eye damage. Special eclipse glasses or filters should always be used to safely observe these celestial events.