A ring of sunshine will blaze above parts of Texas on Oct. 14 as the moon glides between the sun and Earth.
During the solar spectacle, officially called an annular solar eclipse, the new moon will pass in front of and partly obscure the sun, leaving a ring of light around its edges. Astronomers call it a “ring of fire.”
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At midday, the ring of fire will be visible in Texas across a narrow geographic band that will sweep southeast through the Permian Basin and the Hill Country to the Texas Coastal Bend. Outside of the strip, observers will see a crescent sun, or a partial solar eclipse.
In the Houston metropolitan area, outside the path of annularity, the sun will be about 90% obscured, said KPRC 2 Meteorologist Anthony Yanez.
Annular eclipses are rare occurrences. After this upcoming October eclipse, there will not be another one like it until 2039.
Are you a Houstonian who wants to witness the annular eclipse but have no interest in expending the effort to undertake a Texas eclipse trip to see the ring of fire firsthand? There’s good news — You can see a broadcast of the eclipse in all its fiery glory on a big, big screen during an eclipse viewing event organized by the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
The event will feature crafts, activities, simulations, and solar telescope viewing. The Burke Baker Planetarium will broadcast a live stream of the eclipse from Bandera, Texas, located directly withing the path of annularity. The museum’s astronomers will be on site to discuss the annular solar eclipse and the upcoming total solar eclipse, happening April 8, 2024.
What: Annular Solar Eclipse Viewing Event
When: 10:00 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 14 (continuing until eclipse ends)
- 10:27 a.m.: Eclipse begins
- 11:58 a.m.: Maximum coverage
- 1:38 p.m.: Eclipse finishes
Where: Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
- Front plaza/sundial and Burke Baker Planetarium