For the first time in nearly 20 years, an annular solar eclipse will be visible in most parts of the United States on Sunday, May 20. Jonathan Braidman from the Chabot Space and Science Center explains the difference between “annual” and “annular.”
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Bust out the sunglasses on Sunday.
That's because for the first time in 18 years, those west of the Mississippi (that's us lucky folks in the Bay Area) will be able to see an "annular solar eclipse," which is when 94 percent of the sun is eclipsed by the moon.
The sun's outer fringe will look like a ring of fire. Hence the protective eyegear, plus, that pinhole you've poked through the cardboard to look at the edges of the eclipse that you used to make in elementary school. (Never look at a solar eclipse with your naked eye.)
NASA said the eclipse will begin about 5:30 p.m., and the greatest views should be about 6:15 p.m.
The path of the shadow, according to NASA, will stretch from southern Oregon and northern California to western Texas, crossing parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.
According to Space.com. about 6.6 million live along that shadow from the ring of fire.
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If you're east of the Mississippi, you can catch the eclipse at the Slooh Space Camera, using telescope feeds from Japan, California, Arizona and New Mexico.
