Annular eclipse — ring of fire over the US West (2023)
On 14 October 2023 an annular eclipse crossed the American West from Oregon to Texas. In Albuquerque a ring of fire lasted about 4 minutes 49 seconds on the morning of the last day of the balloon fiesta.
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The story
On 14 October 2023 a ring of fire cut diagonally across the western United States. The Moon's shadow came ashore on the Oregon coast and passed over Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico into Texas. It then crossed Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, Central America, Colombia and Brazil before ending over the Atlantic Ocean.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the ring hung in the sky for about 4 minutes 49 seconds at around 10:35 in the morning. That day happened to be the final day of the International Balloon Fiesta, held in the city every October. The result was a rare scene of people watching an eclipse under a sky dotted with hot-air balloons. For Albuquerque it was the second annular eclipse in eleven years, after the one in 2012.
In Utah and Arizona the ring appeared above national parks made of red rock. Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef were inside the path, and the dry autumn skies of the Southwest were clear at many sites. The ring lasted longest, 5 minutes 17 seconds, off the coast of Nicaragua. On this day the Moon was fairly far from Earth, so a fairly thick ring of light was left around the Sun.
The eclipse acted as a kind of preview for the North American total eclipse half a year later, on 8 April 2024. The two paths overlapped near San Antonio, Texas, so people there saw both a ring of fire and a black Sun within six months. The orbit view reproduces the Moon's shadow crossing from North America to South America.
Viewing guide — where, when, how
The ring could be seen starting in Oregon and continuing through Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, then Mexico's Yucatán, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Brazil. All of North America and northern South America saw at least a partial eclipse. It was night across Asia and Australia, so the eclipse could not be seen there.
An annular eclipse needs certified filters from start to finish. Before this date there were warnings that fake eclipse glasses not meeting the safety standard ISO 12312-2 were being sold. When choosing glasses, the first thing to check is whether the proper safety standard is marked, not where they were bought. When using a telescope or binoculars, a solar filter must be fitted over the front.
The sky view follows the Sun over Albuquerque and slows down to reproduce the moment the ring closes. Changing the viewing place to San Antonio shows the ring as seen from the spot where this path overlapped with the path of the 2024 total eclipse. Switching to the Oregon coast reproduces a lower ring seen shortly after 9 a.m. near the start of the path. This shows how the same eclipse changed along its route.
See this for yourself — open that sky at that moment · replay the moment in the orbit view
Why this eclipse is special
It was the first annular eclipse over the mainland United States since 2012. Because a total eclipse was coming half a year later, this event gave many people a chance to practise using eclipse glasses and to learn how to watch safely. NASA and many science centres ran safety campaigns and viewing events from around this time.
Several science experiments took place as well. NASA launched sounding rockets from New Mexico to measure how the ionosphere high above changed as sunlight suddenly dropped. The ionosphere is a layer of air made electrically charged by sunlight, and it affects radio communication. Amateur radio operators also recorded how radio signals travelled differently during the eclipse.
Annular eclipses are easy to overlook next to total ones, but they let people feel the Moon's size and distance directly. On this day the Moon was 4.6 days past its farthest point from Earth, so it looked small and could not cover the whole Sun. Watching it was like seeing in the sky proof that the Moon's distance is not always the same. This difference is why some eclipses are total and others are annular.
Background and earlier eclipses
This eclipse is the 44th member of Saros 134. The previous member of the series was the annular eclipse of 3 October 2005, which crossed Spain and Africa. The next is the annular eclipse of 25 October 2041, expected to cross China and Japan. Members of a series return about every eighteen years in a similar form, but because Earth has turned further in the meantime, the path shifts westward.
The path crossed Navajo land, where tradition sees an eclipse as a time when the Sun dies and is reborn. Many Navajo people therefore stay indoors during an eclipse, fasting and praying quietly. Out of respect for this tradition, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park closed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day.
The American West was also on an annular path in May 2012, and a total eclipse crossed the continent in April 2024. More total eclipses over North America are expected in August 2044 and August 2045. That makes North America a continent that sees eclipses fairly often over these few decades.
FAQ
How long did the ring last over Albuquerque?
About 4 minutes 49 seconds, around 10:35 in the morning, on the last day of the International Balloon Fiesta.
Where did it overlap the 2024 total eclipse path?
Near San Antonio, Texas, where people could see both an annular and a total eclipse within six months.
Where was the ring longest?
Off the coast of Nicaragua, at 5 minutes 17 seconds.
Why was Monument Valley closed?
In Navajo tradition people stay indoors quietly during an eclipse. Out of respect, Navajo tribal parks closed during the eclipse hours.
Was it visible from Asia?
No. It was night across Asia, and the path lay over the Americas.
Related
- The 2024 North American total eclipse
- The 2012 annular over Tokyo and the US West
- The 2024 annular over Easter Island
- The Sun — object index
- The Moon — object index
Times and figures are approximate — verify with official sources when planning travel. Simulation uses J2000 mean elements.