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An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon covers the Sun's center, leaving the Sun's visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” or annulus around the Moon

The Science of Annular Solar Eclipses
Annular solar eclipses take place only when:
The Moon is a new Moon.
The Moon is at or near a lunar node.
The Earth, Moon and Sun are perfectly aligned in a straight line.
The Moon is at its apogee.
Not Every New Moon Night
Even though a new Moon is necessary for an annular solar eclipse to take place, we don't see an eclipse every night there is a new Moon. This is because the plane of the Moon's orbital path around the Earth is inclined at an angle of 5° to the Earth's orbital plane around the Sun – the ecliptic. The points where the 2 orbital planes meet are called lunar nodes. Solar eclipses occur only when a new Moon takes place near a lunar node
Phases of an Annular Solar Eclipse
Annular solar eclipses can last for a couple of hours from start to end. Annularity, the phase where the “ring of fire” is visible, can range from a few seconds up to 12 and a half minutes.



There are 4 distinct stages of an annular solar eclipse:


First Contact – partial eclipse begins: The Moon's shadow starts becoming visible over the Sun's disc. The sun looks as if a bite has been taken from it. For a few seconds before the full eclipse begins, Baily's beads, which look like beads of light, are seen towards the Moon's trailing edge.


Second contact – full eclipse begins: The “ring of fire” appears.
Maximum eclipse or annularity: The Moon completely blocks the center of the Sun's disc. Only the Sun's outer atmosphere or photosphere is seen in the form of a bright ring of rays around the dark disc of the Moon.


Third contact – full eclipse ends: The Moon starts moving away from the disc of the Sun. Once again, Baily's beads are visible along the Moon's leading edge.


Fourth contact – Partial eclipse ends: The Moon stops overlapping the Sun's disc. The eclipse ends at this stage


What can you do to protect your eyes?
A safe way to see an annular solar eclipse is to wear protective eclipse glasses or to project an image of the eclipsed Sun using a pinhole projector


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