Ring of Fire is Actually Solar Eclipse

Next week, some exciting things are happening in the sky and if you live in certain parts of the United States or Asia, you just might get to see them. Sunday May 20 will be the date of an annular solar eclipse, which is what happens when the moon passes directly in front of the sun. Since the moon is not quite wide enough to cover the entire sun, it appears as a glowing, fiery ring in the sky.

This map shows parts of the United States that will be able to see all of or at least part of the eclipse. While this is an exciting sight to behold, it's important to remember that we must take care to observe eclipses correctly or else we risk serious and permanent eye damage, including blindness.

Never look directly at the sun. To safely observe the May 20 annular eclipse, you can buy special solar filters to wear or No. 14 welder's glasses. This video explains more about the eclipse and ways you can protect your eyes while viewing it.

Nature and space are amazing things and here at Janet's Planet Space Log blog, we are excited to experience and witness some of the spectacular events together. We're so glad you stopped by and hope you'll let us know if you were able to view the eclipse!