Annular solar eclipse — Kushiro, Hokkaido
On 1 June 2030 an annular eclipse is expected, with the Moon slightly too small to cover the Sun and a bright ring left around it. The ring can be seen along a band from North Africa through Greece, Turkey, Russia and north-east China to Hokkaido (Sapporo, Asahikawa, Kushiro) in the late afternoon.
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The story
An annular eclipse happens when the Moon passes exactly in front of the Sun but cannot cover all of it. It takes place when the Moon is a little farther from Earth than usual, so the Moon looks slightly smaller than the Sun. The middle of the Sun is blocked, but a bright rim of sunlight is left around the edge like a ring. This is often called the ‘ring of fire’. While the ring is showing, the sky only grows a little dim; it does not turn dark as it does during a total eclipse.
On 1 June 2030 the narrow band where the ring can be seen is expected to stretch a long way across the globe. It begins in Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, crosses Malta, Greece and Turkey, and then runs over Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan into north-east China. Finally it passes over Hokkaido in Japan and leaves over the Pacific Ocean. The ring lasts longest in Siberia, near the Russian city of Tomsk, where it should be visible for about 5 minutes 21 seconds.
In Japan, Hokkaido lies inside the band. Calculations published on Wikipedia give about 4 minutes 17 seconds of ring in Sapporo, about 4 minutes 12 seconds in Asahikawa and about 4 minutes in Kushiro. The deepest part of the eclipse there comes at around five in the afternoon local time. By then the Sun is tilting down into the western sky, so a spot with no tall buildings or hills blocking the west matters a great deal.
Outside the band, people will still see a partial eclipse, with only part of the Sun covered. Tokyo and most of Honshu get a Sun with a large bite taken out of it late in the afternoon. A partial eclipse is also visible across much of Europe, northern Africa and Asia. The orbit view reproduces the day’s line-up of Sun, Moon and Earth, and the sky view reproduces how much of the Sun is hidden from whichever place you choose.
Viewing guide — where, when, how
An annular eclipse must never be watched with the naked eye, from start to finish. During a total eclipse you may remove your glasses for the short time the Sun is completely covered, but an annular eclipse has no such moment. Even when the ring looks its best, part of the Sun’s light still reaches the eye directly. Use eclipse glasses certified to ISO 12312-2 or a proper solar filter, and fit a solar filter to the front of any binoculars, telescope or camera.
To watch from Hokkaido, first find a place with a clear view to the west. At around 5 p.m. local time, when the most of the Sun is covered, it is already sinking in the western sky, where buildings or hills can easily block it. A lower Sun may feel less dazzling, but the light that harms eyes is still there, so the filter must stay on. The same safety rules apply wherever only a partial eclipse is seen, across much of Europe, Asia and North Africa.
The weather cannot be known in advance, so it can only be discussed in terms of chances. In early June the eastern coast of Hokkaido, and the Kushiro area in particular, is known for frequent sea fog. Preparing inland options such as Sapporo or Asahikawa, rather than relying on a single coastal site, raises the odds of a clear view. In the sky view you can switch between locations and compare the Sun’s height and direction at that hour.
See this for yourself — open that sky at that moment · replay the moment in the orbit view
Why this eclipse is special
An annular eclipse shows plainly that the Moon’s path is not a perfect circle. The Moon travels around Earth on a slightly stretched oval, so its distance from us keeps changing a little. If an eclipse happens while the Moon is close, it looks big enough to cover the Sun completely, and the result is a total eclipse. If the eclipse happens while the Moon is farther away, a ring is left, as it will be this time. The same kind of line-up gives a different picture depending on the distance that day.
The moments when the ring forms and breaks have their own beauty. The edge of the Moon is not smooth; it is bumpy with mountains and valleys. Just as the ring closes or opens, sunlight slips through the valleys and looks like a string of beads, known as ‘Baily’s beads’. By timing these moments from several places, scientists can work out the heights and dips along the Moon’s edge, which is one reason they take an interest in annular eclipses.
Looking far ahead, annular eclipses will become the only kind of central eclipse. The Moon is moving away from Earth by about 4 centimetres every year. After a very long time it will look too small to cover the Sun completely, and total eclipses will stop, leaving only rings. That means we live in a period when both kinds of eclipse can still be seen.
Background and earlier eclipses
The ring of an annular eclipse does not fall on Japan very often. In 1987 one was seen from Okinawa, and on 21 May 2012 a wide stretch from Kyushu to the Kanto region saw another. In 2012 large cities including Tokyo were inside the band, so a great many people saw the ring at the same moment. 2030 is the next year in which Japan is expected to see a ring again.
What separates an annular eclipse from a total one is how big the Moon looks. When the Moon is near the closest point of its orbit, it looks large and can cover the whole Sun, giving a total eclipse. When it is near the farthest point, it looks smaller and leaves a ring. On days when the two sizes are almost equal, a single eclipse can be total in some places and annular in others; this is called a hybrid eclipse.
Another big eclipse in East Asia is not far off. On 2 September 2035 the band of a total eclipse is expected to cross northern China, North Korea including Pyongyang, the very northern tip of South Korea at Goseong, and central Japan.
FAQ
Is there any moment when it is safe to look without a filter?
No, and that is the biggest difference from a total eclipse. Even when the ring is sharpest, part of the Sun is still shining, so certified eclipse glasses or a solar filter are needed from beginning to end.
Where can the ring be seen?
In a narrow band from Algeria, Tunisia and Libya across Malta, Greece and Turkey, then over Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and north-east China to Hokkaido in Japan. Athens gets about 4 minutes of ring and Sapporo about 4 minutes 17 seconds; in Hokkaido the deepest point comes around 5 p.m. local time, with the Sun in the western sky.
What will be visible outside the band?
A partial eclipse, across much of North Africa, Europe, Asia, Alaska and northern Canada. A partial eclipse must also be watched through a filter.
Where does the ring last longest?
Near Tomsk in Siberia, Russia, at about 5 minutes 21 seconds. In Hokkaido it is a little shorter, about four minutes.
Related
- The 2028 annular — a ring at Spanish sunset
- The 2030 total eclipse — South Africa and Australia
- The 2035 total eclipse — Korea and Japan
- The Sun — object index
- The Moon — object index
Times and figures are approximate — verify with official sources when planning travel. Simulation uses J2000 mean elements.