The sun turned into a ring of fire: how the solar eclipse took place on October 2. Photos and videos

On October 2, a solar eclipse took place, which is called the "Eye of Sauron" or "Ring of Fire" because of its ring-shaped appearance. However, only observers from Easter Island, Chile, and Argentina were able to see this miracle in its full glory.

After passing through the Pacific Ocean, the ring of fire reached the Atlantic Ocean, where it disappeared from view. The Sun was darkened the most, by 84%, off the coast of Argentina, Space.com reports.

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes in front of the Sun, and its visible size in the sky is not enough to completely cover the disk of the hot star. However, this is even more interesting for viewing, because a real circle of fire opens up before your eyes.

The October eclipse of the Sun indeed took place mainly over the oceans. Only 0.002% of the world's population lives in coastal areas where this atronomic wonder could be seen.

However, many tourists deliberately traveled to places where they could catch the "Eye of Sauron." One of the most popular places to view the eclipse was the mysterious Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, as it is called by the locals. Astronomy enthusiasts, journalists, and photographers came here from all over the world. And everyone was worried about whether they had gathered in the middle of the ocean in vain because the clouds kept covering the sky.

"It was incredible. The tension! A cloud left the sun only 10 seconds before the eclipse appeared, and another appeared a minute after the ring ended. We were very lucky! It was incredible to see the ring, knowing that I had no more than a 50-50 chance," eclipse chaser, British science journalist and editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com Jamie Carter shared his experiences.

The journalist also admitted that a few minutes before the ring formed, it became very cold because the Moon blocked the sun's rays heading to the Earth.

And the famous British astrophotographer Josh Drury, who also came to Easter Island, takes his family with him on such trips. This time, his mother, who is also an astronomy enthusiast, came with him.

"A lifelong ambition is almost complete. An annular solar eclipse, a Pacific ring of fire here in Rapa Nui. I'm very excited to experience this eclipse with Martin Tuki, our guide and keeper of this island, and my mom," Drury said.

He also added that it would be another 312 years before the island would see such a celestial event again. The photographer noted that he has identified two of the most dramatic moments in the eclipse: when the Moon turns the Sun into a ring and when it disappears. He called the six minutes between these magical processes "magical".

According to scientists, more than 240 million people were able to see at least part of the sun covered by the moon's dark disk. And those who were unable to enjoy the event in person could enjoy the eclipse of the sun via a live stream provided by timeanddate.com.

According to astronomers, the next solar eclipse will take place on March 29, 2025, and will partially cover northwestern Africa, parts of Europe, and northern Russia. Later in the year, another partial solar eclipse will be visible on September 21 from parts of the South Pacific, New Zealand, and Antarctica.

The next ring of fire will appear over southern Argentina, Chile, South Africa, and Antarctica on February 17, 2026. The total eclipse of the Sun will have to wait until August 12, 2026, and it will be visible from North America, West Africa, and Europe.

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