West Plains, MO. – The West Plains Downtown Fall Block Party is going on this weekend, and during those festivities, an Annular Solar Eclipse is supposed to occur.
This eclipse is not a total eclipse. An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from Earth. Because of its distance, it appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover it up. This causes the Moon to appear as a dark disk on top of the sun, causing this type of eclipse to gain its moniker: the “ring of fire”.
This annular eclipse works as a perfect preamble to next years total eclipse, and will be viewable just after 10:30am on Saturday, with peak being reached between 11:30 to noon. Weather on Saturday is calling for clouds, so one may have to keep their eye on the sky for a perfect chance at viewing.
As an important safety tip, remember that even this incomplete eclipse should not be viewed with the bare eye. During the Fall Block Party, there will be an Explore West Plains Booth set up, selling viewing glasses needed for looking at the eclipse for $2 a pair, which will be reusable for next years full eclipse in April.
