Solar Eclipse 2021: List of countries that will witness the ‘Ring of Fire’

Sky gazers are set to witness the year's first solar eclipse on Thursday. This phenomena is witnessed when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth and blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Earth.

This particular eclipse is an annular one. In an annular eclipse, the Sun is not entirely covered and a thin boundary of it is visible, which is called the ‘ring of fire.’

The celestial event, also called Surya Grahan in India, will take place for 3 minutes and 51 seconds.

Here is a list of places where the eclipse will be witnessed:

• According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), only some parts of India, including Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, will be able to witness the eclipse.
• While parts of northern Russia, Greenland, and Canada will get to witness the ring of fire, some parts of the world like eastern United States and northern Alaska will witness a partial solar eclipse, which means the ring of fire will not be visible to them.
• A large part of Canada, North America, Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and parts of the Caribbean will also witness a partial solar eclipse.

Experts advise enthusiasts to take precautions while watching the eclipse. They should never look directly at the sun as this could cause harm to their eyes. They should use solar viewing or eclipse glasses, a box projector, or a telescope if they are planning to watch the sun during the eclipse.