This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
On the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, a rare 'ring of fire' solar eclipse captivated skywatchers in Africa and Asia. The Moon, passing between Earth and the Sun, left a thin ring of sunlight visible, a phenomenon known as an annular eclipse.
So-called annular eclipses occur when the Moon is not quite close enough to Earth to completely obscure sunlight, leaving a thin ring of the solar disc visible. They happen every year or two and can only be seen from a narrow pathway across the planet.
On Sunday, June 21, 2020, the 'ring of fire' was first visible in northeastern Republic of Congo from 5:56 local time (04:56 GMT) just a few minutes after sunrise. This marked the point of maximum duration, with the blackout lasting 1 minute and 22 seconds.
As the eclipse arced eastward across Africa and Asia, it reached 'maximum eclipse' over Uttarakhand, India near the Sino-Indian border at 12:10 local time (06:40 GMT). The exact alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun was visible for only 38 seconds.
In Nairobi, east Africa, observers saw only a partial eclipse as clouds blocked the sky for several seconds at the exact moment the Moon should have almost hidden the Sun. Despite the disappointment, Susan Murbana, who set up the Travelling Telescope educational programme with her husband Chu, told AFP, 'It was very exciting because I think I'm so obsessed with eclipses.'
Weather conditions are critical for viewing solar eclipses. A solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into Earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses are visible from about half of the Earth's surface.
There will be a second solar eclipse in 2020 on December 14 over South America. Because the Moon will be a bit closer to Earth, it will block out the Sun's light entirely.
