Partial Annular Solar Eclipse will be visible in Cape Fear later this month

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — An Annular Solar Eclipse will take place across the United States later this month.

A portion of it will be visible in the Cape Fear, with around 40 percent of the sun obstructed.

The event will take place on October 14th, with the peak occurring in Wilmington at 1:24 p.m.

This eclipse will be different than the Total Solar Eclipse which took place in August of 2017.

An Annular Eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and earth but is at its farthest point away, appearing smaller than the sun and not completely covering it up (as it does during a total eclipse). Instead, the moon appears as a dark disk on top of a large, bright disk, creating a “ring of fire” look around the moon.

If you plan to look up to see the eclipse on October 14th, don’t forget to wear specialized viewing glasses. It’s never safe to look at the sun without proper protection.