Partial Solar Eclipse to Create 'ring of fire' in the Sky
This weekend, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in New Jersey as it crosses the western United States on its way to the location where a total eclipse will be visible in six months.
According to NASA, the "ring of fire" eclipse will start in Oregon on Saturday at 9:13 a.m. Pacific Standard Time because of the halo of light that surrounds the moon as it passes in front of the sun. After departing Texas at 12:03 p.m. local time and traveling through Central and South America, the 125-mile-wide path will continue southeast over much of Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico.
The Farmers' Almanac states that because the moon is only a few days past apogee—the point in its orbit where it is the furthest away from Earth—it would seem slightly smaller on Saturday and create the ring.
On October 14, observers won't be able to view the stunning ring of fire due to the moon's journey across New Jersey and other eastern U.S. regions, according to experts. Rather, the moon will only partially obstruct the sun.
A TimeAndDate.com video depicts what the sun will look like on October 14 during the early afternoon from the New Jersey area. The partial eclipse will begin at 12:07 p.m. Eastern and develop slightly bigger between 12:30 and 1 p.m.