Spectacular 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse This Week! Watch the Sun Here

You may be in for a spectacular solar display this week. The moon will block out the sun on Thursday and Friday during a solar eclipse, transforming our nearest star into a "ring of fire" in the daytime sky. The sight is sure to be one you won't want to miss.

The eclipse itself is what is known as an annular eclipse, which is when the moon passes in front of the sun and creates a fiery "ring" in the sky. At the height of the eclipse, the moon will cover nearly 95 percent of our sun, creating a sky that's noticeably darker during the day.

Yet you won't be able to see this eclipse from every location. It will only be visible in certain parts of Australia and the Southern Pacific Ocean where the local time will be Friday. More specifically, the path of annularity passes through parts of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Island and Western Australia. Other parts of the world will be able to see a partial solar eclipse, weather permitting.

The eclipse itself will begin at sunrise over Western Australia. It will then sweep over the Northern Territory of the continent and continue across northern Queensland, far to the north of the city of Cairns. Eventually, it will touch the Pacific islands. During sunset at the southern tip of Baja California, you'll be able to see a partial eclipse, and in Honolulu, you could view the eclipse at around 3:48 p.m. on May 9, according to Space.com.

If you're in one of the few locations that will actually have a chance to glimpse the eclipse, make sure not to look directly at the sun. Severe eye damage can result. Instead, use either an approved solar filter, which can be purchased from telescope stores, or use a large cardboard box to make a pinhole camera. In order to make a pinhole camera, make a small hole in one end of the box to act as the lens. Then aim the hole at the sun and make sure the light projects into the box. Cut a hole into the side of the box and look through to the back in order to view the image of the sun, according to Fox News. For more detailed instructions, check them out here.

While you may not be able to see it in person, though, you should be able to view the eclipse online. The Slooh Space Camera will be recording the entire event, and you can see it for yourself on Slooh's webcast on Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m. EDT, which is available here.

Enjoy the show!