Solar eclipse 2021 LIVE: Ring of fire visible in UK and US as millions around world try to catch a glimpse

HOW OFTEN DOES THE RING OF FIRE PHENOMENON OCCUR?

There is no regular occurrence for the ring of fire display but they can happen every one or two years.

It depends when all three bodies are aligned although variations occur because the moon’s orbit around the Earth is elliptical causing the distance the moon is from the Earth to vary.

This in turn affects the type of solar eclipse seen when all three are aligned.

A ring of fire will appear today, although while Brits will be able to see the eclipse they won’t get to see the ring of fire.

People in northern Greenland, parts of nearby Baffin Bay, eastern Hudson Bay and northeastern Russia will sit in the path of the ring of fire.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOLAR ECLIPSE

An eclipse is when the moon moves into a position where it blocks all or part of the sun from view.

This eclipse is a partial one so the moon is likely to block around a third of the sun from view on Earth.

Below is some of the different types of eclipses and how they look on Earth.

IN PICTURES: THE SHARD IN LONDON

WHAT IS THE RING OF FIRE?

The ring of fire occurs during an annular or partial solar eclipse.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth.

During an annular eclipse, the moon is far enough away from the Earth so the moon appears smaller than the sun in the sky.

As it appears to be smaller, it doesn’t completely block out the sun so when it passes in front of the sun it leaves a circular, orangey-red ring-like border to the human eye.

That effect is called an “annulus” or ring of fire around the moon.