Ring of Fire annular eclipse visible today
Today the moon will pass in front of the sun, creating a brilliant ring of sunlight visible in South Africa from about 9.30am to about 1pm.
When the moon creates a ring of sunlight during an eclipse instead of completely blocking the solar disk, it’s known as an annular eclipse or “ring of fire” eclipse.
This eclipse will lead up to another annular eclipse in February 2017 and a total solar eclipse in August 2017.
What do you need to see it?
It’s important to take precautions so that you don’t damage your eyes. Do not look directly at the sun, even during an annular eclipse, as this can lead to blindness and permanent eye damage if you aren’t wearing proper eye protection.
Look through a foil teabag
Use the foil from a teabag folded double with the silver foil on the outside and look through it.
Pinhole camera
The safest way to observe an eclipse is indirectly, using a pinhole camera that can be made easily at home.
Step 1. Cut a small hole (about 2cm across) in one end of the shoe box, near an edge.
Step 2. Tape a piece of tinfoil over the hole.
Step 3. Using a pin or needle, punch a hole in the center of the foil.
Step 4. Tape a small piece of white paper to the inside of the box, at the opposite end from the foil-covered hole. The paper should be positioned so that light entering the box through the pin hole will hit it. This is where you’ll look for the sun.
Step 5. Cut a 2cm-diameter hole in the box near the image screen (the white piece of paper), but on a different side of the box — the side adjacent to the screen. This is your viewing hole; it must be positioned so that you can look through it at an angle and see the image screen.
You can watch the live stream of the eclipse
