Last solar eclipse of 2019 arriving on Christmas is so dangerous it can leave you blind, requires special glasses
Stargazers are set to have the perfect Christmas this year as astronomers explain how the decade's final solar eclipse will rip across the globe during the holidays.
The upcoming eclipse won't be visible from North America nor will it be as impressive as August 21, 2017's "Great American Eclipse", according to a report by Forbes.
The annual solar eclipse begins at 10.43 pm EST and 7.43 pm PST on December 25.
The moon will appear smaller in the sky as the New Moon is slightly further away than usual, thereby blocking only the center of the Sun's disk. As a result, observers will see a ring around the Sun for an approximate duration of 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
However, the event is deemed to be dangerous, considering it is a partial solar eclipse that requires special glasses to be worn at all times in order to avoid the threat of blindness.
In comparison, the peak of July's total solar eclipse could be viewed with the naked eye. This would be the third solar eclipse of 2019.
The first one occurred on January 6, 2019, when a partial solar eclipse could be viewed in Russia and Northeast Asia, and the second was a total solar eclipse that took place in South America on July 2, 2019.
This time, the celestial phenomenon, popularly known as a "ring of fire" or "ring of light", will be best visible at sunrise in Saudi Arabia.
It will later move higher in the sky to be visible from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, southern India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Finally, the sun will set as a "ring" east of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.
The eclipse, however, is not safe to look at with the naked eye. Nonetheless, it is guaranteed to be beautiful.
The Moon is set to block at least 97% of the Sun at its maximum. While that might sound like a lot, it is not nearly enough to block the Sun's light to view the spectacle clearly.
Hence, eclipse glasses will be needed at all times, and telescopes, as well as binoculars, would require solar filters. Observers may notice the light levels dim around them for a couple of minutes on either side of "annularity".
Those looking for the best place to witness the astronomical phenomenon must go to a spot where there's the biggest chance of clear skies.
In Saudi Arabia, eclipse chasers are advised to go near Al-Hufuf, located around two hours northeast of Riyadh, where it may be possible to see the dramatic "ring of fire".