A Rare Hybrid Solar Eclipse

These two images represent what is known as a hybrid eclipse, which involves both a total eclipse and an annular eclipse. That is what happened this weekend. The image comparison above is from 2005. 

The image on the left was taken aboard a ship about 2,200 kilometers west of the Galapagos. It depicts a total eclipse in which the lunar silhouette covered the solar disk for a few seconds. The other image, taken from Panama, depicts the ring of fire of the annular eclipse. 

According to NASA’s calculations, during the 21st century just 3.1% (7 out of 224) of solar eclipses are hybrid while hybrids comprise about 5% of all solar eclipses over the period 2000 BC to AD 3000. 

Image Credit & Copyright: Left: Fred Espenak – Right: Stephan Heinsius