Solar eclipse explained: What is Ring of Fire, the types of solar eclipse and how to watch

Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse: Every year, about two to four solar eclipses occur, and another one is set to occur on June 10 this year. Solar eclipse is a phenomenon that occurs when the Sun, Moon and the Earth are in a straight line, with the Moon being between the Sun and our planet. Unlike a lunar eclipse, when the Earth’s shadow casts upon the Moon, in a solar eclipse, the Moon partially or wholly covers the Sun, and its shadow is cast on the Earth. There are three types of solar eclipse – total, annular and partial – and June 10 would be an annular solar eclipse.

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Types of solar eclipse: What is Ring of Fire

There are three types of solar eclipse. Total solar eclipse is when the Moon is close enough that it seems as big as the Sun or bigger, and therefore, completely covers the Sun. On the other hand, partial solar eclipse is when the Moon’s shadow only partially obscures the light coming from the Sun.

Annular solar eclipse is a special case of partial solar eclipse, in which the Moon is far enough that it is smaller than the Sun, and while the three celestial bodies are aligning, it is a partial eclipse, but for a few minutes, the Moon’s shadow falls between the Sun, like a dark disk placed on top of a bright disk, making the Sun look like a Ring of Fire around the Moon. Therefore, the annular solar eclipse is also known as the Ring of Fire eclipse.

How to watch a solar eclipse

Unlike a lunar eclipse, solar eclipse should not be watched with naked eyes as it can be harmful. NASA says that one cannot use regular sunglasses to watch the solar eclipse as they cannot provide adequate protection to the eyes during the eclipse. There are special solar viewing or eclipse glasses that need to be worn for the entire duration for which an individual wishes to see the Sun during an eclipse.

Alternatively, a pinhole projector can also be used to look at the eclipse, but not directly. Using a pinhole projector, the sunlight needs to be projected on the surface, where the individual can then see the solar eclipse.