Sky gazers and scientists have all been counting down to witness today"s annular solar eclipse which will pass over parts of the Americas. A solar eclipse is nothing more than an alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon that has the Earth passing through the Moon"s shadow. But why is the solar eclipse in today"s image different? It occurs when the Moon is farthest from the Earth because of its elliptical orbit. When this happens, it appears smaller, letting the sun"s brilliance peek through and creating a halo—the "Ring of fire". Viewers in specific regions can witness this cosmic show, but please be cautious. This eclipse should not be looked at directly without wearing specialised eye protection.
Ring of fire solar eclipse
Today in History
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American bison, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
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Mists over the Amazon
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America’s backyard
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Maldives
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Grandparents Day
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International Day of Forests
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The ruins of an ancient monastery, Skellig Michael, Ireland
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Nature at its colourful best
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Living rock
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A postcard-perfect landscape
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The grass looks greener on this side
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World Octopus Day
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Owl be seeing you
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‘Night shining’ clouds
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Behold the architectural marvel
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The sun sets on British Summer Time
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Frosty Finland
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A right royal tradition
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Clouds dance above Sundance
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The oldest way to fly
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Ahead of the curve
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Panoramic Penzance
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Black sands in a tropical paradise
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Grand National
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Celebrating women
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Here we go!
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A mountaintop cultural wonder
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World Rivers Day