Insider Blog: Annular eclipse across North America this weekend

Eclipses are fairly common across the globe as the moon and earth frequently pass between each other and the sun. A solar eclipse is possible this weekend for parts of the United States, though nowhere will see total coverage.

The upcoming eclipse on Saturday will be an "annular" eclipse, known for its distinctive ring of fire appearance. This type of eclipse occurs when the moon isn't quite at the right angle for total coverage, leading to even the best areas seeing a sliver of light around the moon. This event will also be centered mainly across the southwest portions of the country, so Mid-MO will only see around 60% coverage. Above all though, cloudy and dreary conditions are expected locally with light rain most of Saturday, so the eclipse may not be visible whatsoever here at home.

Many will remember 2017 when a total solar eclipse passed directly across Mid-Missouri, and another of these is set for early April of next year. The 2024 total solar eclipse will pass across southeast Missouri, including Cape Girardeau and Farmington, with central Missouri seeing over 90% coverage.