MUSCAT : The celestial spectacle, also known as ‘ring of fire’, will be visible to residents across the Pacific Ocean, southern regions of South America, and Antarctica. Depending on their location, observers will experience either an annular or a partial eclipse.

Ghaida bint Khamis Al Khaziriyah, a member of the Communication Committee at the Oman Astronomical Society, shared insights with the Oman News Agency about the eclipse’s path.

The event will commence in the North Pacific Ocean and North New Zealand, passing through Chile, Argentina, and Antarctica before concluding in the South Atlantic Ocean. At its peak, the moon will cover approximately 85.9 percent of the sun’s disk, with the eclipse lasting about 5 hours and 4 minutes, while the annular phase will last around 7 minutes and 24 seconds.

The solar eclipse will begin at 7:43 pm, peak at 10:45 pm, and conclude at 1:47 am Muscat time on Thursday morning.

Al Khaziriyah explained that there are three types of solar eclipses: total, annular, and partial. A total eclipse occurs when the moon completely covers the sun; an annular eclipse happens when the moon’s disk does not fully cover the sun, creating a luminous ring effect; and a partial eclipse occurs when only part of the sun’s disk is obscured.

She also noted that the last annular solar eclipse visible from Oman took place on June 21, 2020, and will not occur again until 2103, making this event a significant opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts.

For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.