NASA Shares Video Of What This Weekend's Annular Solar Eclipse Will Look Like

NASA has shared a taste of what this Sunday's annular solar eclipse might look like. If you want to get excited, you can check out the full video just below:

While it's all pretty impressive, if you're in the UK, you won't be able to see the event on 21 June yourself - not least because you shouldn't look directly at it anyway.

However, through the magic of the internet, you'll definitely be able to catch it somehow if you're so inclined... and you should be, because it's pretty damn cool.

The annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon is at such a distance from the Earth to completely cover over the sun, which results in a 'ring of fire' around the darkened moon as the sun passes behind it.

Ahead of this weekend's festivities, the US space agency has shared a video that shows what stargazers can expect to see, if they're lucky enough.

The video was shot back in 2013 during the annular solar eclipse that year in Western Australia.

NASA explained: "In the early morning of 2013 May 10, from Western Australia, the Moon was between the Earth and the rising Sun.

"At times, it would be hard for the uninformed to understand what was happening. In an annular eclipse, the Moon is too far from the Earth to block the entire Sun, and at most leaves a ring of fire where sunlight pours out around every edge of the Moon."

This particular video is so great because it managed to capture the celestial event through the high refraction of the earth's atmosphere, just above the horizon.

That means that it's doubly cool because the rising sun and moon also appear to have been flattened out.

As we've covered, this Sunday's eclipse won't be visible from the UK this time, but if you're lucky enough to live in Africa, Asia, or near the Pacific Ocean, there's a chance for you.

The path will take the eclipse from Central Africa, over places like Saudi Arabia, Northern India, and Southern China, then out into the world's largest ocean.

A partial eclipse will be possible in places like the Middle East, Southern Asia, and Eastern Africa.

The rest of us will have to make to with watching it online.

NASA confirmed: "This weekend, a new annular solar eclipse will occur, visible from central Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and a narrow band across Asia, with much of Earth's Eastern hemisphere being able to see a partial solar eclipse."

You can join in with the UK, Time and Date live stream of the event at this link.

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/APOD Videos

Topics: Science, World News, Interesting, Weird, space

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

@TPWagwim