2023 solar eclipse path will cross Oregon

Amanda Arden

2 years ago

Rich Krueger of the Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy views the start of a solar eclipse at the Lowell Observatory Solar Eclipse Experience on August 21, 2017 in Madras, Oregon. - Emotional sky-gazers on the US West Coast cheered and applauded Monday as the Sun briefly vanished behind the Moon -- a rare total solar eclipse that will stretch across North America for the first time in nearly a century. (Photo by STAN HONDA / AFP) (Photo by STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Tens of thousands of people flocked to Oregon in 2017 to stand in the path of totality during the total solar eclipse. In 2023, they’ll have the chance to do it again, but this time for an annular eclipse.

The “Great American Eclipse” was visible in several states across the country on August 21, 2017. It was a total solar eclipse, which means the moon completely blocked the light of the sun.

In Oregon, eclipse-chasers set up camp in places like Newport, Salem, Madras and John Day to stand in the dark shadow cast on Earth in the middle of the day.

The sun’s corona is visible as the moon passes in front of the sun during a total solar eclipse at Big Summit Prairie ranch in Oregon’s Ochoco National Forest near the city of Mitchell on August 21, 2017. The Sun started to vanish behind the Moon as the partial phase of the so-called Great American Eclipse began Monday, with millions of eager sky-gazers soon to witness “totality” across the nation for the first time in nearly a century. / AFP PHOTO / Robyn Beck (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

On Saturday, October 14, 2023, the path of an eclipse will cross Oregon again. However, this one won’t be as dark.

Instead, Oregon will fall on the path of an annular ellipse. According to NASA, this means the sun will create a “ring of fire” around the moon. The moon will look like a dark disk on top of a larger, bright disk.

Whether an eclipse is total or annular depends on the distance between the Earth, sun and moon.

When the sun is nearest to Earth and the moon is at or close to its farthest distance from Earth, it will not appear large enough to block out all the light from the sun completely.

However, if the moon is near enough to Earth at a time when the sun is farther away, a total solar eclipse can occur because the moon will appear large enough to cover the entire disk of the sun.

According to maps produced by GreatAmericanElcipse.com, which NASA has also shared on its website, the 2023 annular eclipse will follow a southeastern path across Oregon in 2023.

It will first touch the United States at 9:13 a.m. PT in Reedsport, Oregon. It will then move southeast over other places like Eugene, Roseburg, Crater Lake, Klamath Falls and Lakeview before crossing into Northern California and Nevada.

GreatAmericanEclipse.com, which is run by geographer Michael Zeiler and eclipse-chaser Polly White, says the maximum duration of annularity at the Oregon Coast is 4 minutes and 29 seconds.

NASA expects annularity will begin in Eugene at 9:16 a.m. PT.

It is never safe to look directly at the sun and NASA reminds anyone who plans to view the solar eclipse to use methods to avoid eye damage. People can use eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector to see it. NASA has more information online about how to safely watch and eclipse.