Ring of fire solar eclipse 14 Oct 2023

Sky gazers and scientists have all been counting down to witness today"s annular solar eclipse which will pass over parts of the Americas. A solar eclipse is nothing more than an alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon that has the Earth passing through the Moon"s shadow. But why is the solar eclipse in today"s image different? It occurs when the Moon is farthest from the Earth because of its elliptical orbit. When this happens, it appears smaller, letting the sun"s brilliance peek through and creating a halo—the "Ring of fire". Viewers in specific regions can witness this cosmic show, but please be cautious. This eclipse should not be looked at directly without wearing specialised eye protection.

© Sorin Furcoi/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Gateway to Iberia
14 Oct 2024Coco Beach, Goa, India
14 Oct 2025Village of Oia in Santorini, Greece

More Desktop Wallpapers:

15 Mar 2024Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, USA
12 Aug 2025World Elephant Day
26 Nov 2024Celebrating World Olive Tree Day
This lake is no mirage
30 Nov 2024Saint Andrews Day
6 May 2025An ultralight aircraft flying over the sands of Namibia
2 Nov 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
26 Jun 2025Horse Head Rock, New South Wales, Australia
24 Oct 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States
4 Mar 2025Happy Fat Tuesday!
20 May 2024World Bee Day
The grass looks greener on this side
24 Mar 2024Silvereyes
17 May 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
16 Mar 2025Baby giant panda in China
1 Sep 2024Totally Thames Festival, London
Where is this ethereal mountain?
25 Apr 2024World Penguin Day
29 Nov 2025Red deer stag in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands
Lighting the way
5 Feb 2025Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
15 Nov 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
Meet for lunch?
25 Mar 2025Tolkien Reading Day
23 Nov 2025Fibonacci Day
28 May 2024The Monastery of Roussanou, Greece
28 Oct 2024Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
3 Jun 2024World Bicycle Day
Germanys green heart
27 Sep 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy