WASHINGTON — A "ring of fire" annular solar eclipse was visible in parts of the northern hemisphere Thursday, but those in certain parts of the U.S. could only see a partial one early in the morning.
A solar eclipse happens when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun. When an annular eclipse happens, the moon is at its farthest point from Earth. Unlike a total eclipse, an annular eclipse allows a little more of the sun to be seen around the moon. That gives the image of a "ring of fire."
In the U.S., the partial eclipse -- where the Earth, sun and moon are not completely lined up --was seen in parts of the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest and Northern Alaska, according to NASA. It happened shortly after sunrise, so people that wanted to watch it in person needed to have a clear view of the horizon.
People in parts of Canada, Greenland, and northern Russia experienced the full annular eclipse and saw the "ring of fire."
This animation shows the path of the shadow the moon will leave on the Earth.
NASA livestreamed the eclipse, weather permitting, in the YouTube player below.
Timeanddate.com also had a livestream in the player below.
As always, an important reminder: Never look directly toward the sun with the naked eye. Regular sunglasses are also not safe for looking at the sun. You need a special pair of eclipse or solar viewing glasses. If you don't have access to those, you can make a simple pinhole projector.