PORTLAND, Ore. - A rare "ring of fire" eclipse of the sun is set to grace the skies across the Americas on Saturday, spanning from Oregon to Brazil. This celestial spectacle, also known as an annular solar eclipse, has brought a mixture of excitement and concerns to the small towns and cities within its narrow path.
Unlike a total solar eclipse, this event does not completely obscure the sun but leaves a bright, blazing border when the moon aligns with the sun. The eclipse's path on Saturday will traverse through Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas in the United States, with a small portion of California, Arizona, and Colorado.
Following this, it will continue through Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil. Much of the rest of the Western Hemisphere will experience a partial eclipse.
The ability to view the eclipse will heavily depend on clear skies, and some parts of the U.S. path may contend with cloudy weather. To ensure everyone can witness the event, NASA and various other organizations have planned livestreams.
Some small towns along the path, like Reedsport near Oregon's Pacific Coast, have had to adapt their plans due to a chance of rain, moving their eclipse festival indoors. Nevertheless, they remain hopeful for a glimpse of the phenomenon.
In contrast, tiny Baker, Nevada, with a population of around 100, is embracing the eclipse with enthusiasm. Inn and general store owner Liz Woolsey has made T-shirts and organized a series of activities, including a drum circle and a dance party. Her seven rooms have been booked for over a year.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, could be in for a double treat as the eclipse coincides with the city's annual hot air balloon fiesta. Hundreds of colorful hot air balloons will take to the sky at dawn, hours before the eclipse temporarily dims the daylight.
In Colombia's Tatacoa desert, astronomers are assisting visually impaired individuals in experiencing the eclipse through raised maps and temperature changes as the moon passes in front of the sun. At the Cancun Planetarium, young visitors are constructing box projectors to indirectly and safely view the ring of fire.
Towns and national parks in the eclipse's path are preparing for substantial crowds. Oregon's Klamath County officials have encouraged residents to stock up on groceries and fuel in anticipation of potential traffic congestion. Utah's Bryce Canyon expects Saturday to be the park's busiest day of the year, and Brazil's Pedra da Boca state park is anticipating a surge in visitors.
The entire eclipse, from the start of the moon obscuring the sun to its return to normal, will last from 2 1/2 to three hours, depending on the location. The ring of fire portion, the most spectacular phase, will last from three to five minutes, depending on the observer's location.
While skywatchers eagerly await this weekend's eclipse, there's already excitement building for a total solar eclipse in April of the following year, which will traverse the U.S. in the opposite direction. In 2026, Antarctica will have its own ring of fire eclipse. However, it will be 2039 before another ring of fire eclipse graces the U.S., with Alaska being the only state in its direct path.
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