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Annular Solar Eclipse to Appear on Sunday

By Nola Taylor Redd, OurAmazingPlanet Contributor

Credit: D. L. Mammana

"The ring of fire:" Astrophotographer Dennis L. Mammana photographed this annular eclipse behind palm trees in January 1994.

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    33 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, are positioned to observe the full annular eclipse this Sunday (May 20th).

    (National Parks Services)

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May 15, 2012 Updated May 17, 2012 at 1:22 PM PDT

When the sun vanishes behind the moon for the first time over the United States in this century, what better place to enjoy the view than from one of the 154 national parks that stand in its path?

Astronomy lovers in the United States will be treated to a partial disappearance of the sun behind the moon this Sunday (May 20th). Only the Eastern Seaboard will be totally exempt. Over the course of the solar eclipse, the sun won't vanish completely, but will remain as a ring around the moon for what is known as an annular eclipse. When the eclipse occurs, the moon will be near its most distant point from Earth, making it appear smaller in the sky and thus unable to block the entire sun. But it will still be a stunning sight.

33 national parks will see the full effect of the moon's interference. Many western parks will be offering an array of events for their guests, ranging from placing telescopes out for viewing up to a full-scale astronomy festival.

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