Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse Coincides With Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: Here’s What To Expect During the Rare Sighting

The most awaited time of the year in Albuquerque is fast approaching when people from different parts of the world gather for the largest hot air balloon event. Although the International Balloon Fiesta has always been special, this year's celebration is extra spectacular because it will happen simultaneously with the annular solar eclipse.

An Event of a Lifetime

This year, the much-anticipated balloon festival will occur between October 7-15, 2023. The event will feature hot air balloon rides, balloon glows, drone light shows, entertainment, music, and competitions. It is expected to attract more than 800,000 attendees from around the world.

Falling within the time frame of the Balloon Fiesta is the annular solar eclipse, a rare celestial event that occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. This phenomenon will be witnessed on October 14, when the Moon will cover 89.73% of the Sun sometime after 9 a.m.

Attendees will have a chance to see the "Ring of Fire" right from the field of Balloon Fiesta Park. According to Balloon Fiesta spokesperson Tom Garrity, their team started looking at the time this event would occur two years ago. He also added that they have received so much international interest in Balloon Fiesta and the sighting that will take place on the field while the annular eclipse is happening overhead.

While the annular eclipse occurs, the festival will display a balloon glow involving 70 hot air balloons. This means that for about four minutes and 30 seconds, visitors will witness colorful hot air balloons aglow at the same time as the solar eclipse. Although the sky will not get pitch black, the event will be somewhat the same as the conditions for the evening balloon glow.

It is important to ensure the eclipse is safely viewed using protective eyewear. On the annular solar eclipse day during the Balloon Fiesta, NASA will give away 80,000 pairs of glasses. The agency will also teach guests about the annular solar eclipse.

Ring of Fire Annular Solar Eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon appears relatively small in the sky and thus does not cover the Sun fully during a solar eclipse. This leaves a thin outer ring of the Sun, often called the "ring of fire."

The Moon revolves around the Earth in an elliptical orbit. This means there is a point in its orbit where it is closer to our planet, called perigee, and a point where it is farther away and reaches apogee.

Eclipses occur when the Moon is in its new moon phase, with its face completely dark while rising and setting with the Sun. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon is close to Earth, and its completely dark lunar disk is big enough to cover the entire Sun, darkening the sky over Earth.

On October 14, the Ring of Fire annular solar eclipse will pass over a 125-mile (200-kilometer) wide path stretching from the U.S.'s northwestern region through Central America and into Brazil. If the weather conditions are right, the areas in the U.S. outside the path of the total eclipse will witness a partial solar eclipse.