DENVER — On the morning of Oct. 14, the moon will cut directly in front of the sun causing a solar eclipse. But the moon will be farther away from the earth than it normally is, so it won’t completely block all the sunlight.
“So, there will be a ring of sunlight still left around the moon, that’s why they call it the ring of fire,” said astronomer and science educator Jeffrey Bennett.
He said the technical term is annular eclipse. The ring of fire appearance will be visible in parts of southwest Colorado, but it will look different on the Front Range.
About 76% of the sun will be blocked to the north near Fort Collins, about 78% in Denver, and in Castle Rock about 80% of the sun will be eclipsed.
Bennett created a smartphone app that shows you what the eclipse will look like where you live, and how to get into the path to see the ring of fire, a path called totality. It also has the local time the eclipse begins, when it reaches the maximum, and when it ends.
The app is called Totality by Big Kid Science and is a free download at the Apple and Android stores. Big Kid Science is the brand in which Bennett, a former CU Boulder teacher, writes science-based kids' books.
Bennett said the proceeds from his book sales go into keeping the eclipse app free to download, and the rest of the money is donated to non-profit science organizations. One project he likes to support is Storytime from Space that features astronauts reading books to school kids from the International Space Station.
In August, NASA astronaut Steve Bowen read Bennett's latest book called Totality - an Eclipse Guide in Rhyme and Science.
Eclipse glasses
There are some eclipse glasses still available for purchase on the app. Those proceeds also go to support organizations like Storytime from Space.
Bennett said that eclipse shades must be worn during an annular eclipse, even if you are in the path of totality. Even at 99% coverage, the brightness from the sun can still cause blindness.
"Don't wait much longer. Supplies everywhere are going fast," said Bennett. "There are only two manufacturers in the United States that make the officially certified eclipse glasses, and you can get a list of approved vendors from the American Astronomical Society."
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS