Space

Sad About Missing February's Eclipse? Just Wait A Couple Of Weeks

None of us will be able to see the "ring of fire" annular eclipse on Feb. 17, but we have a pretty good consolation prize coming our way.

GLOVER, VT - April 9: The solar eclipse at the Bread and Puppet Theater. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) — GLOVER, VT - April 9: The solar eclipse at the Bread and Puppet Theater.
(Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

When it comes to eclipses, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose: It just depends on where on the Earth you happen to be when they occur. And while all of us in North America will miss Feb. 17's "ring of fire" annular eclipse (unless we happen to be Antarctic penguins, seals or lonesome researchers spending the polar summer in some of the most remote bases on Earth), we won't have long to wait until we can see something pretty special.

What's Happening

On Feb. 17, the annular solar eclipse will sweep across Antarctica, creating that famous "ring of fire" effect when the moon passes in front of the sun but doesn't quite cover it completely. The path stretches nearly 500 miles wide across the continent's ice fields, and the ring effect will last up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds, blocking 96% of the sun's center. People in the southern tips of Chile, Argentina and parts of South Africa will also be able to catch partial views.

What's Next

A bright red moon sits against a night sky in this illustration from NASA. — (NASA)

Here's the good news for North American eclipse enthusiasts. Just two weeks after the "ring of fire" eclipse, a total lunar eclipse will be visible across the entire contient on March 3. Unlike solar eclipses, which require you to be in exactly the right spot to view them, lunar eclipses can be seen from anywhere on the nighttime side of Earth. This means everyone from Alaska to Florida will get front-row seats as the moon turns a dramatic reddish color during totality.

The Science Behind These Eclipses

Solar and lunar eclipses often arrive in pairs about two weeks apart. This happens because eclipses only occur when the moon crosses specific points in its orbit where it can align with Earth and the sun, and the moon returns to the opposite alignment point roughly two weeks later (remember, the moon's cycle is about four weeks long).

The February solar eclipse happens when the moon slides between Earth and the sun, but since the moon is near its farthest point from us, it appears slightly smaller than the sun, leaving that brilliant ring of light around its edges. The March lunar eclipse occurs because of the opposite: Earth moves between the sun and moon, casting our shadow across the lunar surface, and filtering sunlight through our atmosphere (which gives the moon that eerie red glow). So while it may mostly be penguins, seals and a few lucky scientists watching next week, we'll all have our own chances to enjoy an eclipse soon enough.

Senior writer Chris DeWeese edits Morning Brief, The Weather Channel’s newsletter.