WHEN A RING OF FIRE APPEARED AROUND THE SUN

 WHEN A RING OF FIRE APPEARED AROUND THE SUN 

Right before sunset, the Moon moved directly across the Sun’s disk .. but not completely. Instead of darkness, a blazing circle remained: an annular solar eclipse glowing above the ocean horizon.

Thin clouds near the Sun scattered the light just enough to make the ring appear thicker and more dramatic, while the sea reflected the golden path below. For a few minutes, changing light levels made the sky look suspended between day and night.

Unlike a total eclipse, the Sun never vanished. Its outer edge stayed visible as a brilliant halo, too bright to view without protection.

Waves rolled in, birds grew quiet, and the light shifted into a deep copper tone as the eclipse reached its peak. Then, gradually, the Moon continued along its orbit and the Sun’s full disk became visible again.

 South Pacific horizon, visible from parts of Chile and Argentina