‘Ring of fire’ solar eclipse visible across parts of the US

The next ‘ring of fire’ eclipse in the US won’t be until 2039, and will only be viewable from Alaska

A "ring of fire" eclipse is emerging and visible across the Americas, according to NASA.

The space agency has launched a livestream as the partial eclipse of the sun begins. The moon has begun to cross in front of the sun, and the spectacle was visible in Eugene, Oregon shortly after 8am local time (4pmBST).

Residents of the small, rural towns in the viewing area were concerned that tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the heavenly event would crowd their streets, according to the Associated Press.

However, weather conditions have unfortunately dampened the hopes of many who hoped to view the eclipse; fog and clouds have obscured much of the visible sky across the west coast states.

Ring of fire eclipses are especially fascinating to watch because the moon does not fully cover the sun; the edges of the star extend beyond the circumference of the moon, creating the "ring of fire" visible just beyond the edges of Earth's closest celestial neighbor.

Rain forced the eclipse festival in Reedsport, near Oregon's Pacific coast, indoors.

Rosa Solano, a city official, told the Associated Press they were "still hoping that we might get a glimpse of it."

In Baker, Nevada, the town of 100 had clear skies and local shop owners were ready for visitors with eclipse-themed merchandise.

Liz Woolsey, who runs an inn and a general store, made t-shirts and planned activities for visitors coming to see the spectacle. She said her rooms had been booked for more than a year in anticipation of the eclipse.

Visitors also flocked to national parks, where the protected land meant there would be few intrusive lights and little encroaching smog to block the sky. Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah expected its busiest day of the year to be Saturday thanks to eclipse tourists.

The eclipse is expected to last approximately three hours in any given viewing area. The actual "ring of fire" is expected to last for approximately three to five minutes, depending on location.

The next ring of fire eclipse will occur in October of 2024 for the southern-most tip of South America, and another will occur in 2026, but will only be visible to the penguins and polar researchers in Antartica.

Those hoping to stay in the states will have another chance to see the ring of fire eclipse in 2039, but only if they're willing to travel to Alaska.