The "Ring of Fire" effect caused during the annular solar eclipse is seen from Penonome, Panama, on October 14, 2023.(Image credit: LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)

Solar eclipse livestream: Watch the annular eclipse online on Oct. 2

You can watch the annular solar eclipse live on Oct. 2 with this free livestream. Here's how.

by · Space.com
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On Oct. 2, the moon and sun will produce a dazzling "ring of fire" in the sky. The annular solar eclipse is going to be a sight to behold. 

However, many of us will be nowhere near the path of annularity — a route that passes across the Pacific Ocean, southern Chile and southern Argentina. Instead we must look to the next best thing: livestreams! You'll find some information below about how to watch the event play out virtually, and in fact, you'll also be able to catch the eclipse action unfolding on our solar eclipse live blog. When the time comes, we will bring you views of the eclipse as they appear online as well as some on-the-ground reporting from a lucky few who will be there in person. 

During an annular solar eclipse, the moon appears slightly smaller than the sun. As such, it doesn't block the entire solar disk like it would during a total solar eclipse. Instead, the moon's shadow covers most of the disk, leaving the outer rim, and resulting in a beautiful "ring of fire." On Oct. 2, the moon will cover approximately 93% of the sun's disk at the point of greatest eclipse.

Annular solar eclipse livestream

LIVE: Annular Solar Eclipse - October 2, 2024 - YouTube

Watch On

You can watch the annular solar eclipse online and follow along with a livestream news feed courtesy of Timeanddate.com.

The livestream will begin at 2:45 p.m. EDT (1845 GMT) on the website's YouTube channel. 

Watching in person 

The "ring of fire" will be visible only within a path of annularity that passes across the Pacific Ocean, southern Chile and southern Argentina. 

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During an annular solar eclipse, it is NEVER safe to look directly at the sun without solar eclipse glasses designed for solar viewing. Read our guide on how to observe the sun safely. 

Notable locations where the "ring of fire" is visible

For an in-depth look at the timings of each stage of the eclipse depending on location, check out these resources on Time and Date.

  • Rapa Nui/Easter Island, Chile (5 minutes, 38 seconds to 6 minutes, 12 seconds of annularity starting at 14:03 EAST, 67 degrees above North)
  • Cochrane, Chile (5 minutes, 40 seconds of annularity starting at 17:21 CLST, 26 degrees above NNW)     
  • Perito Moreno National Park, Argentina (6 minutes, 17 seconds of annularity starting at 17:21 ART, 25 degrees above NNW)   
  • Puerto Deseado, Argentina (3 minutes, 22 seconds of annularity starting at 17:27 ART, 20 degrees above NNW) 
  • Puerto San Julian, Argentina (5 minutes, 12 seconds of annularity starting at 17:24 ART, 21 degrees above NNW)  

Notable locations where the partial solar eclipse is visible

For those outside the path of annularity, a partial solar eclipse will be visible during which the moon will appear to take a "bite" out of the sun. 

Here are some notable locations where a partial solar eclipse will be visible (along with the percentage coverage of the sun) on Oct. 2, 2024.

  • Ushuaia, Argentina (72%)  
  • Falkland Islands (84%)   
  • Villarrica, Chile (63%)  
  • Punta Arenas, Chile (75%)   
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina (42%)   
  • São Paulo, Brazil (10%)