'Ring of Fire' solar eclipse to darken skies today.

KARACHI -- An annular solar eclipse, said to be the last big celestial event of the year as it comes to a close, will occur on Thursday morning.

Starting at 7.30am (PST), it is to peak at 8.37am and go on till 1.06pm. The eclipse will be visible all over Pakistan, especially in Karachi and Gwadar, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

It said the celestial event will be visible in eastern Europe, northern and western Australia, eastern Africa, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean, and much of Asia, including Pakistan.

Dawn.com

The solar eclipse is not a total eclipse but an annular one. This means the sun and the moon will be positioned in a way to form a 'ring of fire' as the moon won't be able to completely cover the sun. Hence its edges will be illuminated.

The rare and historic event will be completely different from the total solar eclipse that took place in August 1999 due to the 'albedo effect'. It means that most of the radiation did not reach the ground and got deflected back into space because of cloudy skies. But this time there will be a clear sky. Therefore, there will be a direct impact of the radiation. Hence, people have been advised not to look at the sun with the naked eye during the eclipse as it may cause permanent eye damage or even blindness.

Superstitions, beliefs

Also there are several superstitions being associated with the celestial event. Some say it may bring about major changes in world politics with shifts in power...