Last solar eclipse of 2024: “Ring of Fire” blazes over South America, stargazers watch in awe | On trend

Parts of South America such as Chile and Argentina experienced a “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse on October 2nd. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon casts a shadow on the earth and the sun is obscured.

Spectators on Easter Island, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, looked up to watch the spectacular celestial event, the last solar eclipse of the year.

This particular eclipse is called the “Ring of Fire” because part of the Sun is visible through the eclipse, forming a blazing ring even though its center is obscured by the Moon. The fantastic phenomenon only lasts a few minutes before the “ring of fire” turns into a crescent moon.

Check out the incredible solar eclipse here:

One should not observe a solar eclipse with the naked eye as this can cause damage to the retina.

What’s notable is that this “ring of fire” solar eclipse is different from a total solar eclipse, in which the moon completely blocks the sun.

While solar eclipses are not rare – two to four of them occur each year, according to NASA – the Ring of Fire is only visible in certain parts of the world. (Also read: ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse today: What is it and when will it occur next?)

The eclipse was only visible to those in the “path of totality,” which this year was only 165 to 200 miles (265 to 331 kilometers) wide.

For those outside this area, a partial solar eclipse will be visible, with the sun appearing like a bright yellow crescent in the sky. A partial solar eclipse was also visible in Antarctica, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, Brazil and Uruguay.

When is the next solar eclipse?

You may have missed the spectacular “Ring of Fire” in the sky this year, but next year you will witness two such eclipses.

The first will be seen across Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America on March 29th. The second solar eclipse will be visible in Australia and Antarctica on September 21st.

A year later, stargazers will witness a total solar eclipse on February 17, 2026. (Also read: The oldest known solar eclipse occurred 6000 years ago: The Rig Veda mentions it.)