NASA says ‘Ring of Fire’ can be seen on Monday’s solar eclipse

By Katrina Jones May 19th, 2012 ( 1 Comment )

Washington: Sun would be similar to a ‘ring of fire’ on upcoming annular solar eclipse on Monday.

Visibly initially in Southern Japan and Southern China, making of ring of the fire will begin on Monday morning in Asia.

According to experts, sun surface is not covered completely by the moon leaving edge of the sun in circle lighting like a ring of fire.

Thousands of people are planning viewing parties for the upcoming annular solar eclipse, a rare event in which the sun will appear as a thin ring behind the moon, CNN reports.

“In the United States, the eclipse will be visible on a path from northwestern Texas through New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, southern Utah, Nevada, northern California and southwestern Oregon late Sunday.”

“I recommend anyone who has the chance to see this, because while they do happen occasionally, it’s a fairly rare event,” said Jeffrey Newmark, a solar physics specialist with NASA. “It’s a neat thing to see.”

“For the May eclipse, the moon will be at the furthest distance from Earth that it ever achieves — meaning that it will block the smallest possible portion of the sun, and leave the largest possible bright ring around the outside,” NASA said on its website.

The agency say next solar eclipse will be on November 13, and is expected to be visible over northern Australia.

“The last annular eclipse appeared in the United States in 1994.”