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'Ring of Fire' annular solar eclipse could be seen all the way from Houston

During a "Ring of Fire" annular eclipse, the moon is the point in its orbit farthest from Earth.

HOUSTON — A "Ring of Fire" annular solar eclipse was visible across the United States and other parts of the world Saturday.

An annular eclipse is when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun and is at or near its farthest point of orbit from Earth.

Texas was included in the path. The 100 percent coverage path across Texas included Midland-Odessa, San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

RELATED: PHOTOS: What the solar eclipse looked like across Texas

Check out our full stream of the eclipse:

In Houston, it started around 10:27 a.m. and the moon started to move in front of the sun by 11:16 a.m. Our best view of the eclipse was at 11:58 a.m. It will be over by 1:37 p.m.

What is a 'Ring of Fire' annular solar eclipse?

During a "Ring of Fire" annular eclipse, the moon is at its orbit farthest from Earth. Because it’s farther than it is during a total solar eclipse, it doesn’t cover the entire sun, leaving what appears to be a ring of the sun visible for those who are in the path. That's where the "Ring of Fire" eclipse got its name.

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How to protect your eyes during an eclipse

It's not safe to look directly at an eclipse. If you do, you could cause instant damage to your eyes. That goes for cameras, telescopes or binoculars without special-purpose solar filters, too. Regular sunglasses are not protection either. You need to use special social viewing glasses or a safe handheld viewer. And make sure the lens is not damaged or scratched.

The American Astronomical Society Solar Eclipse Task Force keeps a list of manufacturers, distributors and sellers of eclipse glasses and filters that they consider legitimately compliant with the standard. Click here for that list.

If you didn't order them in time, the AAS recommends checking with Home Depot, Lowe's or Walmart to check if they have any in stock. (Some, but not all, locations sell ISO-approved eclipse glasses, according to the AAS.) Additionally, many libraries around the U.S. will be giving away free pairs of approved eclipse glasses; call your local branch or check this site for a map of participating libraries.

If you don't have special eclipse glasses, you can use an indirect viewing method, like a pinhole projector which has a small opening that can project an image of the sun onto a surface.  Here's guidance from NASA on safe solar eclipse viewing.

When is the next eclipse?

A total solar eclipse will happen on April 8, 2024, and will also travel over several states, including Texas. In fact, the path of April's eclipse crosses the path of this year's October eclipse in Texas.

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