One week until the spectacular 'ring of fire' annular solar eclipse!

By Daisy Dobrijevic
published

We're ready, are you? The countdown to the annular solar eclipse has begun.

Stages of the annular solar eclipse on Jan. 15, 2010.
An annular solar eclipse will be visible across the Americas on Oct. 14. (Image credit: Siegfried Layda via Getty Images)

On Saturday, Oct. 14, an annular solar eclipse will be visible across the Americas. 

Spanning 10 countries, including eight U.S. states, the awe-inspiring 'ring of fire' spectacle is not to be missed. 

We have summarized where and when you can watch the annular solar eclipse 2023 in person and online. NASA has also released an interactive map where you can track the Oct. 14 annular solar eclipse down to the last second. 

The eclipse will begin in Oregon before moving down through the U.S. to Texas and then over Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Brazil. Eclipse viewers off the coast of Nicaragua in the Gulf of Mexico will experience the maximum duration of the 'ring of fire' at about 5 minutes and 17 seconds. 

Related: Which U.S. states will October's annular solar eclipse be visible from? 

VIEW ECLIPSES SAFELY!

a pair of blue paper glasses

(Image credit: Amazon)

If you're looking for safe optics to view the eclipse, we recommend the Celestron EclipSmart 2x Power Viewers, which have 2x magnification or this travel-friendly solar telescope. You can also consult our guide to photographing the solar eclipse.

Observers in northeastern Arizona should note that all Navajo Tribal Parks will be closed from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. MDT on October 14, 2023, due to Navajo cultural beliefs surrounding the event. This includes Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Four Corners Monument Navajo Tribal Park and parts of the Tséyi’ Diné Heritage Area in Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

Related stories:

— How long will the annular solar eclipse last on Oct. 14?

— How fast will October's annular solar eclipse travel?

— How to photograph the 'ring of fire' annular solar eclipse

Here are some notable locations and cities that will see a ring of fire, together with the local time and duration of that event, according to French eclipse expert Xavier Jubier. Note that all of these places will also see a long partial solar eclipse before and after the brief "ring of fire"; their closeness to the centerline of the path of annularity determines the duration of the ring of fire: 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
LocationLocal time of 'ring of fire'Duration of 'ring of fire'
Oregon Dunes, Oregon9:15 a.m. PDT4 minutes, 29 seconds
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon9:17 a.m. PDT4 minutes, 19 seconds
Great Basin National Park, Nevada9:24 a.m. PDT3 minutes, 46 seconds
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah10:27 a.m. MDT2 minutes, 31 seconds
Canyonlands National Park, Utah10:29 a.m. MDT2 minutes, 24 seconds
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado10:31 a.m. MDT2 minutes, 57 seconds
Albuquerque, New Mexico10:34 a.m. MDT4 minutes, 42 seconds
Corpus Christi, Texas11:55 a.m. CDT4 minutes, 52 seconds
Edzná Maya archaeological site, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico11:23 a.m. CST4 minutes, 32 seconds

REMEMBER to NEVER look directly at the sun. To view this solar eclipse safely you must use solar filters at all times. Whether your location will experience a partial solar eclipse or an annular solar eclipse, the dangers are the same. Observers will need to wear solar eclipse glasses, and cameras, telescopes and binoculars must have solar filters placed in front of their lenses at all times. 

Our how to observe the sun safely guide tells you everything you need to know about safe solar observations.  

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Daisy Dobrijevic
Daisy Dobrijevic
Reference Editor

Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K.

2 Comments Comment from the forums
  • billslugg
    Go outside durimng the eclipse even if you have no way of protecting your eyes from direct observation. Look instead at the circles of light on the ground from trees.
    Reply
  • Unclear Engineer
    Yes it is weird to see all of those spots of sunlight turn into little images of the eclipse.

    But, those images are not very clear, since they are usually or a rough surface.

    A cheap but safe way to see the eclipse using the same principle is to get a cardboard box with plenty of room to put your head inside, put a small hole in the middle of one side and a piece of paper on the inside of the box, opposite the hole. When facing AWAY from the sun, with your head in the box and the small hole pointed toward the sun (BEHIND your head), you will see an image on the paper inside the box (provided you don't get your head in the way between the small hole and the paper). Some ask how big the hole in the box should be. It isn't critical. The bigger the hole, the brighter but less focus the image will be on the paper. And, the bigger the box, the bigger, but dimmer the image of the eclipse. The best sizes are usually something like the diameter of a thumb tack shaft (not the big part).

    For a better description with pictures, see https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/box-pinhole-projector.html .
    Reply