Depending on what part of the country (or world) you live, you may have already heard quite a bit about an upcoming eclipse, or it may be totally off your radar. I’m speaking of the annular solar eclipse due to sweep across several U.S. states next Saturday, beginning along Oregon’s Pacific coast and exiting in Texas near Corpus Christi.

What is an annular eclipse? Unlike a total solar eclipse, the sun is not completely blotted out by the moon. Instead, “annular”  refers to a ring of bright sunlight, or annulus, also known as a “ring of fire,” that is visible around the moon during the maximum phase of an annular solar eclipse.  The path of annularity is about 125 miles wide, and it will sweep from the Oregon coast south and east through Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and, finally, to Texas. The period of annularity (where close to 90 percent of the sun is obscured by the moon) ranges from about half a minute up to 4.5 minutes, depending where you are in that path. In Oregon the annular eclipse begins at 9:13 a.m. PDT, and it ends in Texas at 12:03 p.m. CDT. The partial eclipse begins on the Oregon coast at just after 8 a.m., reaches annularity between 9:13 and 9:24 a.m., and the partial eclipse ends in the state at 10:47 a.m. The NASA website offers lots of interesting graphics and maps to show the track of the eclipse and when to see it in your area.

As with the total solar eclipse that passed directly over Oregon in the summer of 2017, state and private entities in the path of annularity are anticipating lots of  interest and visitors. The state parks website provides a map identifying all the state parks which lie within the eclipse’s shadow and provides tips and safety information for viewing the event. At this point, most of the campsites have already been reserved, as has lodging in those areas. And while the eclipse passes through a long section of the state, some places might be more promising for good viewing than others. Coastal areas may provide some dramatic shots, but early morning in the fall along the ocean could bring low fog . . . or even soggier conditions.

Smart money calls for the most promising weather conditions over the southern and eastern parts of the state, particularly east of the Cascade Mountains where drier, sunnier weather is more likely than to the north and west. Crater Lake National Park tops many lists of where to view the eclipse, as it will offer one of the longest periods of annularity and many elevated viewpoints of spectacular beauty.  It is late in the season, however, so even snow could factor in, and most of the campgrounds are already closed for the season, so visitors will have to plan ahead. A little further east, and at a much lower elevation, lies the town of Klamath Falls and Upper Klamath Lake, offering more wide-open vistas and a longer viewing period.

Plenty of businesses in the path of the eclipse are offering special packages and viewing opportunities, from a tribal casino to a small ski hill, offering the chance to ride a ski lift to view the eclipse (viewing glasses included) for just $10. Educational opportunities also abound, including a local hands-on science museum‘s all-day Annular Eclipse Party, while high school students from a small rural school in south-central Oregon will be launching weather balloons sponsored by NASA next week.

And where will I be viewing the eclipse? Well, fortunately I live just within the southern boundary of the path of annularity, which means I will have about 2.5 minutes to observe about 89 percent of the sun being obscured by the moon without having to leave home . . . though I may actually seek out some elevated ground nearby for the most unobstructed views. I’ll be looking for that ring of fire and perhaps the diamond ring effect and maybe even Baily’s beads. First, though, I’ve got to track down a pair of those safe viewing glasses, or else resort to a homemade cardboard viewer.

I’ll let you know how my experience with viewing this phenomenon goes . . . fingers crossed for clear skies!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor