Skygazers in eight western U.S. states will be treated to a rare “ring of fire” eclipse on Saturday, Oct. 14. With the moon covering all but the outer edges of the sun, it will briefly look as though there’s a blazing ring of fire igniting the sky.
The ring of fire 2023 eclipse path will cross parts of the United States, Mexico and several countries in South and Central America, according to NASA. Eclipse viewers have plenty of unique spots to watch the annular eclipse, from the sandstone formations in Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park to Albuquerque, where it’s all eyes on the skies as the New Mexico city will be simultaneously hosting its international hot air balloon festival.
But some of the very best places to see the ring of fire eclipse in 2023 is from national parks and sites, especially in the Four Corners region where Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona meet. It won’t be until 2039 until another ring of fire eclipse happens, and only those in Alaska will be able to see it, according to NASA, which makes Saturday’s event an exciting one, especially since it will be visible in so many destinations.
In fact, more than two dozen national parks, monuments and recreation areas are in the Ring of Fire Eclipse 2023 Path, according to the National Park Service.
For instance, the annular eclipse path will clip the southwestern portion of Colorado, passing over Mesa Verde National Park, the site of well-preserved cliff dwellings and where Ancestral Puebloans were keen observers of the night sky from 550 A.D. to 1300 A.D. One of Colorado's four national parks, Mesa Verde today is a UNESCO World Heritage site and, in 2021, it became the world’s 100th International Dark Sky Park.
Here’s a ring of fire eclipse map from GreatAmerianEclipse.com that shows all of the parks it will pass over:
Some other notable places the ring of fire eclipse will be visible from include Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, where eclipse viewers can watch the celestial event amid the otherworldly red rock hoodoos. At the end of the path, you can watch the ring of fire eclipse from a barrier island at Padre Island National Seashore.
Some consider the ring of fire annular eclipse a warm-up to the total solar eclipse of 2024 that will cross over North America from Mazatlán to Newfoundland. Texas is at the bullseye of both eclipses, according to GreatAmerianEclipse.com. Texas Hill Country and San Antonio is being referred to as the “Texas Nexus.”
Here’s a map of both the 2023 ring of fire eclipse and the total solar eclipse that will happen on Monday, April 8, 2024:
Want to watch the annular eclipse from a national park. Pack your solar eclipse glasses and be braced for the crowds.
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