How to View Saturday’s Eclipse Here

An annular solar eclipse will pass over the area on Saturday, Oct. 14.

This annular eclipse happens when the Moon is at or near its farthest point from Earth. As a result, the Moon appears slightly smaller than the Sun, which creates a socalled “Ring of Fire” around the Moon.

The path of maximum obfuscation – where you can best view the Ring of Fire – lies a little west and south of here. In Fayette County, the Ring of Fire will look more like a crescent. San Antonio lies nearly in the center of the path, and many are expected to visit the Alamo City for the event.

According to NASA, a partial eclipse will begin around 10:23 a.m. The maximum eclipse will take place shortly before noon and last for a few minutes. Another partial eclipse will then be visible until around 1:33 p.m.

Special eye protection is needed if you wish to look directly at the eclipse. According to NASA: “During an annular eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”