Warm-Up Eclipse: October’s Ring of Fire

Millions of people eagerly await the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. On that day, the glorious solar corona will make its magnificent appearance for nearly four and a half minutes along a path from Mexico to eastern Canada. However, there’s an appetizer before the main course! An annular solar eclipse crosses the United States from Oregon to Texas on October 14, 2023. The apparent size of the moon’s disk will be too small to completely obscure the sun that day, so witnesses will experience a “ring of fire” around the new moon. Kalamazoo Astronomical Society President Richard Bell will explain why annular eclipses occur, describe how this eclipse will look from southwest Michigan, and tell you how to view it safely. This program is part of our eclipse series.  People who attend will receive a pair of eclipse glasses courtesy of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s support of the Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries (SEAL) program. About the Speaker: Richard Bell was bitten by the astronomy bug at a very early age. He enjoyed looking at pictures of the planets as early as age four and got his first telescope at age seven. Richard has had just about every astronomy-related job one can have in Kalamazoo. He worked at the local planetarium for nine years and sold telescopes at a local hobby shop for six years. After receiving degrees in physics and mathematics from Western Michigan University, he taught introductory astronomy courses at most of the surrounding colleges and universities for over fifteen years. Richard is also an avid observer, an astrophotographer, and an engaging speaker. He is one of three lifetime members and the current president of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society, serving in this position longer than anyone else in its history.