Community Corner

How to See the Solar Eclipse on Sunday

Solar Eclipse 2012: 'Ring Of Fire' is coming to California. Best viewing time is 6:38 p.m.

Move over, Supermoon! California is in for another extraterrestrial evening display this weekend -- a rare "ring of fire" solar eclipse that hasn't been seen in the United States since 1994.

Called an annular solar eclipse, the moon and sun will exactly align Sunday, May 20, creating a "ring of fire" around the moon because of the sun's larger apparent size.

Unfortunately for Orange County, the best views of the "ring of fire" eclipse will be from Northern California around Eureka, Redding, the Sacramento suburbs, and Lake Tahoe, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Find out what's happening in Mission Viejowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But that doesn't mean we still won't be in for an awe-inspiring view. The Griffith Observatory notes that the moon will eclipse 86 percent of the sun's diameter, which will be the most extensive eclipse the area has seen since 1992.

It's a lot more than the East Coast will ever see. They're going to miss the event entirely since the sun will set for them before the eclipse begins. Here's Sunday's eclipse schedule:

Find out what's happening in Mission Viejowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • 5:24 p.m.: Eclipse begins
  • 6:38 p.m.: Maximum eclipse
  • 7:42 p.m.: Eclipse ends
  • 7:52 p.m.: Sunset


Remember kids: no one should ever look directly at the sun during the eclipse, and the Los Angeles Times points to two ways to view the spectacle safely:


The Griffith Observatory is hosting a public viewing of the solar eclipse on the observatory lawn, complete with explanations from staff. But if you want to practice safe sun-viewing on your own, here are some other beautiful spots to take in the sight.

-Anna Almendrala, Huffington Post


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