ring of fire. (not the Cash version)

You may or may not be aware that tonight brings an annular eclipse.

You may or may not be aware of what an annular eclipse is. Allow me to, ahem, illuminate.

An annular eclipse is when the moon passes directly in front of the sun (between Earth and sun). The diameter of the moon is smaller than the sun, creating a “ring of fire” — an annulus — around the moon’s edge. “Annular” means ring in Latin.

2012 annular solar eclipse

Many folks luck out. The path of the eclipse, hundreds of miles long and thousands of miles wide, passes from China and Japan across the Pacific Ocean and western United States. (Lucky me, I’m in line!) You Californians, particularly in the north, will have fantastic views. You must step out to see! Note: with proper eye protection! a link to easy homemade contraptions

For those outside the eclipse’s path, despair not, live feeds, including the SLOOH Space Camera — http://events.slooh.com/ — will take you there. If you can’t get to the mountain, bring the mountain to you, as it were.

Enjoy!

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