SOUTH AFRICA - GET READY FOR A SPRING SOLAR ECLIPSE ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2016

PICTURE: Annular eclipse "ring of fire." CREDIT: via Wikimedia Commons

South Africans will have a great chance to witness a partial solar eclipse on Thursday 1 September, the same day Spring officially arrives in the southern hemisphere.

According to TimeandDate.com, this phenomenon is known as an annular solar eclipse, which is when the moon moves in front of the sun, creating a ring-like impression.

Only when the moon is at it farthest point from earth, will this phenomenon occur - where the the entire disc of the moon blocks most of the sun, just leaving it's outermost parts visible.

However, in certain parts of the world, such as the majority of Africa in this instance, this will be viewable only as a partial solar eclipse.

The eclipse will begin at 09:31 CAT  (07:31 UCT) on Thursday. The maximum point, where the moon is closest to the centre of the sun, will take place at 11:01 CAT (09:01 UTC). However, these times will vary from city to city (*see below)

• Click here for an animation.

Remember to wear special, protective glasses if you wish to view the eclipse directly, or use a a pinhole projector to project an image of the Sun onto a smooth surface.