The morning of May 21 will give many people a opportunity to start becoming interested in the universe and science. An annular eclipse of the sun can be observed in large areas of Japan along the Pacific around 7:30 a.m. that day.
If weather conditions are good, as many as 83 million people will be able to witness the phenomenon. And in other areas, a partial eclipse will be visible.
An eclipse of the sun occurs when the moon hides the sun as it passes between it and the earth. During an annular eclipse, the sun takes on the appearance of a ring or donut as the moon, Earth and sun become aligned and the moon hides the sun's center.