South America treated to rare ‘ring of fire’ eclipse

PUERTO SAN JULIAN, Argentina (AFP) -— Skygazers on the tip of South America were treated Wednesday to a spectacular “ring of fire” solar eclipse that was visible from Chile’s Easter Island before heading to mainland Patagonia.

The rare spectacle — which happens when the Sun momentarily all but disappears as the Moon crosses its path — drew dozens of tourists, photographers and astronomy enthusiasts to the Pacific island of 7,000 inhabitants.

There, they pointed their lenses at a partly cloudy sky against the backdrop of the “moais” -— the giant statues iconic of Easter Island, long inhabited by Polynesian people.

“It was a mini sunset,” 55-year-old Ninoska Huki told Agence France-Presse of the “sublime” experience that hit the island shortly after noon local time.

A so-called annular solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Moon and Sun line up.

Even when perfectly aligned, the Moon is too far from Earth to completely block out the Sun, creating instead the impression of a fiery ring.

At first, it appears as if a bite has been taken out of the Sun.

The bite grows bigger and bigger until the Moon moves directly in line with the Sun, at which point people nearby usually notice a distinct drop in temperature and brightness but for the ring.

As the day darkens, birds and animals sometimes enter a night-time routine, thinking sunset is near.