If you’re far enough north, the skies will darken ominously on early Saturday morning as the moon slides across the face of the sun and creates a rare and hauntingly beautiful “ring of fire” eclipse.
But even in the Bay Area, we may detect a subtle dimming, evidence of the clockwork of the universe as the sun and moon appear to cross paths.
“The sun will look like a crescent. We’ll see a giant bite taken out of the sun’s surface,” said astronomer Andrew Fraknoi, lecturer at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco. A big, big dark disk will travel in front of the sun, he said, “and that’s the moon.”
Saturday’s astronomical event — an “annular” solar eclipse — is different from a total solar eclipse we experienced in 2017. Because the moon is in a distant part of its orbit, it’s too small to completely cover the sun, so we see a bright ring of light. A total eclipse occurs when the moon is closer to us, so it completely conceals the sun.
Friday morning is a good time to start planning. Upon awakening, look east to find the sunrise — because that’s the same spot you’ll look for the eclipse on Saturday between 8:05 a.m. and 10:42 a.m., peaking at 9:20 a.m. If possible, get some altitude. Because the morning sun will be low on the eastern horizon, any hills or tall buildings will obscure its view.
Finally, hope for clear skies. But even if morning skies are overcast, as predicted, a few gaps in the clouds could allow a glimpse.
At its peak in the Bay Area, 83% of the sun will be covered by the moon. But it might feel no darker than if a wandering cloud passed over the sun. That’s because the remaining 17% of the sun is still blazingly bright.
The only place in California with a full view will be the state’s far northeastern corner.
