A ‘ring of fire’ eclipse is passing through San Antonio this weekend

The annular eclipse is taking place on Saturday, Oct. 14 with San Antonio being in the pathway. Photo Courtesy of NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

OCTOBER 10, 2023 — San Antonio is at the center of an astronomical event taking place on Saturday, October 14.

The annular eclipse, often referred to as the “Ring of Fire,” takes about an hour and a half, as it goes from the partial phase, followed by a mesmerizing four-minute display of the sun forming a radiant ring, to being surrounded by darkness. The eclipse then gradually transitions back to a partial phase.

At 10:23 a.m., a partial eclipse will begin as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. The burning star will transform into a thin ring of fire at 11:52 a.m., reaching peak annularity at 11:54 a.m. and lasting for four minutes.

“That’s an annular eclipse because annulus is a fancy word for donut,” Angela Speck, professor and chair in the UTSA Department of Physics and Astronomy, explained.

The entirety of the eclipse will end at 1:33 p.m.

“It’s hard to convey just how amazing it is to experience an eclipse,” Speck said. “One thing is that it’s not just visual. In fact, one of the coolest things to do is to find a tree. Stand by the tree and look at the shadow underneath because all of the little gaps between the leaves behave like holes. So, you get lots and lots of images of the sun."

To safely view the eclipse, Speck advises the use of protective glasses that are certified with the ISO 12312-2 designation. Homemade pinhole projectors are also effective for experiencing the eclipse.

This eclipse won’t be the last to cross through the state. Just 177 days later, a total solar eclipse—where the sun is completely blocked by the moon—will take place on April 8, 2024.

— Ari Castañeda