‘Ring of Fire’: Millions Gather for Stunning Solar Eclipse
- Posted on May 20, 2012 at 10:26pm by
Erica Ritz
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The 'Ring of Fire' as seen in Japan (Photo: AP)
A rare solar eclipse swept the Earth Sunday, starting in Asia and making its way across the Pacific to the United States.
According to NASA, it’s the first to be visible in the States in nearly 18 years– and it’ll be ten more years before we see another one.
The view from South Korea (Photo: AP)
But on a more personal level, Fox reports:
For one night, millions of eyes look up to the ‘Ring of Fire.’ Millions around the world are set to watch the annular solar eclipse, in which the moon passes in front of the sun leaving only a golden ring around its edges, which will be visible to wide areas across Asia Monday morning, parts of the western United States and even some parts of Mexico will catch a glimpse.[...]Scientists cautioned would-be viewers everywhere to be very careful because the sun’s damaging rays will remain powerful even during the annular solar eclipse. The advice: Either wear specially designed protective eyewear or attend a viewing event — at a planetarium or amateur astronomy club, for example — to avoid risk of serious eye injury.
The view over Taipei (Photo: AP)
The event is so popular, apparently, that cable cars ran people up to the mountains extra early for an unobstructed view in Japan, while Taiwan’s astrological museum opened at dawn.
(Photo: AP)
While this particular event isn’t quite as dramatic as a “total” eclipse, where the sun is entirely blocked out by the moon, it certainly provides for better pictures. The most intriguing picture, in many regards, is the photo NASA took of the actual eclipse beginning in outer space.
(Photo: NASA)
Though, the view of the eclipse high above a Tokyo Ferris wheel undeniably has its own aesthetic appeal:
(Photo: AP)
Topping it all off, here is a remarkable time-lapse video of the event shot by a California science teacher (via Gizmodo):
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epicwinofgod
Posted on May 22, 2012 at 12:47pmPhotoshop… I have come to learn that NASA is pretty much Photoshop itself. However it’s image foreshadows a truth in which all things belong to Him.
Report Post »1Dave
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 1:18pmFew apparently looked at the interesting shadows cast by the “Ring of Fire.”
Report Post »Light filtering between tree leaves cast multitudes of eclipse images.
alexegz30
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 2:04pmI can‘t believe that didn’t occur to me! I’ve seen similar effects in the past and took note of the great shadow effects from other sunsets, but with the eclipse, I just kept trying to capture the direct visuals. Hopefully, others managed to capture the shadows out there.
Otherwise, I suppose I’ll have to make a mental note for the next eclipse… in just over a decade.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:59amThat NASA pic is photoshopped, I believe. None of the moon’s edge features are there, and me and another guy took pics showing the same edge irregularities from hundreds of miles apart. That, and it is a hydrogen spectrum pic BTW. So it was probably taken from SOHO, and SOHO probably didn’t experience an eclipse.
Not that it’s not a beautiful pic, however.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 12:17pmI’m pretty sure nothing is stationary on the sun.
Fake.
Report Post »K Chad Roberts
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 2:28pmMy only comment about it’s authenticity, is that if it is indeed from NASA, I kinda am forced to believe that they’re telling the truth about what it is. And about things not being stationary on the sun, the sun is fricken huge. You’re right, the suns corona and surface are always moving around, but it takes a very long time for that movement to be apparent. If you’re taking a picture over a few minutes, the suns surface might as well be stationary.
Report Post »TWO BITS
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:52amThe NASA photo is eerily fascinating. The vastness and complexities of the universe bring into perspective the brief existance of mere mortals.
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 10:36amAt a HEFTY PRICE
Report Post »Hobo Boondocks
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 8:12amI’m waiting for someone to blame the Chicago riots on the celestial event, isn’t that where we got the term LUNAtics from? For lunar events such as the full moon and the crazy conduct of some people coinciding with certain moon phases.
Report Post »BringtheLight
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 3:15amIt looks eerily like the crescent on the flag of muslim countries
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 1:27amActs 2:17-20
17 And it shall come to pass in the alast days, saith God, I will bpour out of my cSpirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall dprophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall edream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into adarkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable cday of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Report Post »West Coast Patriot
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 1:49amThese eclipses happen several times a year, although they are not all total eclipses. The last annular eclipse visible in the U.S. like the on that happened today was in 1994, the next one will be in 2023. It is not biblical, the signs in the sky that you are talking about referenced in the bible would most likely occur from either nuclear war, an asteroid hit or a cauldera eruption. God will use the natural order of things to cause the signs of the end, after all he created them.
Report Post »ImMormon
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 10:50amWest Coast! I agree with you! Wow, see we can find common ground!
Report Post »Wigidy
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 12:47amCan’t wait for the Aug 21, 2017 full eclipse which will appear over where I live.
Report Post »randy
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 1:50amYeah, that’s if we have windows in the re-education camps.
Report Post »staggerlee32
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 6:47am@Randy, LOL…. It says in Book of Revelation that you will be imprisoned and if you renounce God while you are there you will go to Hell. If you don’t renounce God “they” will kill you. But the good thing is if you are saved, you can watch all your solar eclipses from heaven. I don’t think that you will care much for a solar eclipse while your “gnashing” your teeth for all eternity.
Report Post »hkyplayer
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 12:46amWas driving through Reno today and cars were pulling off Hwy 80 to watch it! It was amazing to see a full ring effect of the sun!
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 4:04amI hope no one loses any vision from this.
Report Post »ReGenesis8
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 12:25amI get right and left mixed up so it is no wonder that I thought you guys had the movement of the earth and moon reversed. I believe the earth turns from east to west…so I thought the the eclipse started in USA May 20th and goes over to Asia…ending on May 21st. But I guess, even though the earth keeps turning…the moon is also moving in the opposite direction…OH WELL, found this cool site that animates the entire eclipse… hope it helps you visualize what was taking place. ( http://shadowandsubstance.com/ )
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:43pmMiss the whole thing. Thick clouds in every direction. I would have got at least a 25% bite of it.
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 12:53amYeah, I’m in Spokane. Every time there’s some cool celestial event it gets cloudy. My daughter had a star photography assignment and it was cloudy for a week.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:28pmI believe it was 1969 I had the pleasure of witnessing the full eclipse in Great Bridge Va. A truly awesome natural event.
Report Post »Noonien_Soong
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:21pmThis is a sign that O–bama has come and gone
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:42pmLike!
Report Post »FutrPrez
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:08pmWell, we have FINALLY found it! This is the ONE reason to live in California…………….. to be able to see the eclipse……………….
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:43pmWatched it online .. no reason to live in California ;-)
Report Post »FromSeaToSea
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:08pmNext time around you wil get to see it from behind barbed wire.
Report Post »FromSeaToSea
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:06pm10 years from now when it returns Blaze commentors will be looking at it from behind barbed wire.
Report Post »Airgun
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:49pmWhereas you won’t see it at all from the other side of the turf, loser.
Report Post »Get a life and leave the grownups in peace young’un.
Armyof One
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:02pmFortunately, nobody fell into…the burning…………….ring of fire :)
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:09pmWhile I can’t give a rim-shot through text, kudos for the Johnny Cash reference.
Report Post »seeker9
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 12:09amI prefer the Deep Purple version myself. JC does get due credit though.
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 9:06amGreat….now I’m gonna have that song in my head all day. It’s better than “Ebony and Ivory” that’s been in there all weekend.
Report Post »Armyof One
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:00pmBarely clipped the sun here on the California central coast. Seriously thought about going to Oregon to see and photo it….but was reminded why I could not afford to as I went to get gas.
Report Post »UpChuck.Liberals
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:31pmYou haven’t gotten your Moonbeam bucks yet? Made from real Rainbow Unicorn dung.
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 10:48pmOops…..i guess it was really the sun that was red but still freaky pic.
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 10:47pmYIKES…….the pic of the red crescent moon is kinda foreboding!
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 10:47pmcool.. almost wish i lived out west.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 7:15amNo you don’t….. ; )
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 10:32pmQuick, Blazers, politicize a solar eclipse!
Report Post »seeker9
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 12:33amI am not Blaze, but it has to be racist since the sun turns… black. We live in a racist cosmos!
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 1:05amThe weather has been, and remains, politicized.
Report Post »This eclypse reminds us that a relativily insignificant dark O-bject can block the light of freedom for only a short time.
Gonzo
Posted on May 21, 2012 at 7:31amI’ll take a shot at it. Obama’s energy policies are causing rolling blackouts across Asia and the U.S. West coast!
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