June 21, 2020: Rare Solstice “Ring of Fire” Solar Eclipse This annular solar eclipse is visible from parts of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and China. In many time zones, this eclipse will take place on the same day as the June solstice. This rare coincidence, of an annular eclipse taking place on the same day as the day of the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice, will only happen once again in this century: in 2039!
Not in the path of the eclipse? We will be streaming this eclipse LIVE this coming Sunday from 05:00 UTC. So set those alarms and reminders, because it is promising to be a fantastic event!
A solar eclipse is always accompanied by a lunar eclipse two weeks before or after. A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 5 preceded the June 21 annular solar eclipse. It is followed by another penumbral lunar eclipse on July 4 or 5, depending on the time zone. During this eclipse, the Earth's faint penumbral shadow will not completely cover the Moon, so casual observers may easily miss it.
Happy summer solstice to the residents of the Northern Hemisphere! If you are a Southern Hemisphere dweller, happy winter solstice!
At 21:43 UTC on June 20, the Sun will be directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer, marking the moment of June Solstice.
