Awesome, we’re in the “viewing zone” to be able to see a solar eclipse on Sunday, May 20th! It will only be visible from East Asia and the western United States and from my cute little map below – you can see we’re right in the prime viewing zone.
This particular eclipse will be an “annular solar eclipse” and at its peak, will block out 94% of the sun’s light, creating a “ring of fire”. Solar eclipses occur when the moon comes between the earth and the sun. When the moon lines up perfectly with the sun and blots out all of its light, the result is a total eclipse. Partial eclipses cover only part of the sun’s face.
The eclipse will occur for us in the late afternoon or early evening on Sunday. Other parts of the country and Canada will still see a partial eclipse (but the East Coast will miss everything since the sun will have already set for them).
Remember: Do NOT look directly at an eclipse — it will damage your eyes. Instructions for how to view it can be found at the bottom of a Space.com article you can find by clicking here.
