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Solar eclipse of June 10, 2021 facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

An annular solar eclipse happened on June 10, 2021. A solar eclipse is when the Moon moves right between Earth and the Sun. This makes the Moon block the Sun's light from reaching us on Earth.

An annular solar eclipse is special. It happens when the Moon is a bit farther from Earth. This makes the Moon look smaller than the Sun in the sky. So, the Moon doesn't completely cover the Sun. Instead, it blocks most of the Sun's light, leaving a bright ring of sunlight around the Moon. This is why it's sometimes called a "ring of fire" eclipse!

Even if you are not in the main path of the annular eclipse, you might still see a partial eclipse. This means the Moon covers only a part of the Sun, making it look like a bite has been taken out of it. This partial eclipse can be seen over a very large area, thousands of kilometers wide.

A Rare Eclipse Over the North Pole

This particular eclipse was very special because its path went right over the North Pole. This is quite rare! It was the only annular solar eclipse in the 21st century (the 2000s) to pass over the North Pole.

Where the Eclipse Was Seen

The main path of the annular eclipse was visible in northern Canada, Greenland, and the northern part of the Russian Far East.

People in the northeastern United States and Canada also got to see a partial eclipse. For them, the Sun was partly covered by the Moon right as it was rising, between 5 and 6 A.M. EDT.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Eclipse solar del 10 de junio de 2021 para niños

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Solar eclipse of June 10, 2021 Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.