This Saturday, skywatchers in Brazil can witness an annular solar eclipse, where the Moon positions itself between the Earth and the Sun.
Specifically, the “ring of fire” effect will appear, which is a hallmark of annular eclipses. The last time this happened in Brazil was nearly 29 years ago.
People in Northern and Northeastern Brazil are in for a complete show. In contrast, São Paulo residents will witness only a partial eclipse.
Filipe Monteiro of the National Observatory detailed the timing: the full event begins in the Amazonas at 12:05 pm local time.
From there, it travels through various states, ending around 5:50 p.m.
Astronomer Josina Nascimento explained that solar eclipses are more common than people think.
They usually happen once or twice a year. The catch? You have to be in a specific region, known as the path of “totality,” to enjoy the view fully.
Moreover, the angle of the Moon’s orbit affects whether an eclipse can be seen. If the Moon’s path is slightly tilted, we might not see anything at all.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses
This phenomenon is not limited to solar eclipses; lunar eclipses occur too. In these cases, Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon.
If you miss this weekend’s event, mark October 2 on your calendar for next year’s partial eclipse.
Only those in the South and Southeast will get a good view then. After that, a significant annular eclipse will not occur until February 6, 2027.
Besides solar eclipses, lunar eclipses also captivate observers. The next lunar eclipse in Brazil is set for the 28th of this month.
Here, Earth will obstruct some sunlight, leading to a penumbral lunar eclipse.