What to know about the ‘ring of fire’ eclipse happening this week

For the first time since April’s historic solar eclipse, another eclipse will be viewable to thousands across the globe this week when the “ring of fire” darkens skies on Wednesday.

The annular (or ring-shaped) solar eclipse will be most observable from South America, though residents of at least one U.S. state may have a chance to catch a glimpse. Occurring when the moon is at its farthest position from the sun, an annular eclipse does not produce a complete blackout and instead creates and ring light effect, hence the “ring of fire.”

This time around, the celestial event will only be viewable to a lucky group of people estimated to be less than 200,000. Here’s what to know about the ring of fire eclipse and what to expect.

What is the ring of fire solar eclipse?

The “ring of fire” is an annular solar eclipse that occurs when the moon is at the farthest point from Earth in its orbit. This makes the moon appear slightly smaller than the sun from Earth’s vantage point.

When the moon passes directly between the Earth and sun, the moon’s smaller shape only covers part of the sun, creating the appearance of a ring of light around the sun’s silhouette, according to the Planetary Society. This thin line surrounding the moon is called an “annulus.”