Annular Solar Eclipse of 2019 December 26
 from the Arabic Peninsula or India

Observing an annular solar eclipse can be done in multiple ways: for example having the annular phase at sunrise or sunset in order not to use any solar filter, or from the center of the eclipse path to get a symmetrical ring, or else near the edges of the eclipse path to get more Baily’s beads and for a longer duration with the additional benefit to be able to also photograph the chromosphere (be careful as this very last option is potentially dangerous for your eyesight and equipment).
The general and most frequent circumstance is an observation from inside the eclipse path with a Sun high enough, say five to ten degrees and above. For this type a solar filter is mandatory, just like it is with a partial solar eclipse or else viewing the Sun outside of an eclipse.
Lets now move on to more "advanced" observations. Viewing an annular solar eclipse from the northern or southern limits can be more rewarding than from the centerline. However to maximize your experience and lengthen the duration of the Baily’s beads you need to be positionned properly. Two main options are therefore possible: the first is to get both some short annularity time with prolonged beads or else only prolonged beads by staying in the grazing zone and optimized chromospheric photography for the more adventurous. In both cases the chromosphere can be photographed by not using any solar filter at the proper time (CAUTION, THE LATER PRACTICE IS DANGEROUS AND YOU SHOULDN’T LOOK NAKED EYE).

The following pictures were taken during the February 1999 annular from the Western Australia coast. You can see the simulations match the pictures quite well although those were done at low resolution. Observers who wanted to have both a complete ring and a nice display of Baily’s beads had to be well inside the path by about 8 kilometers, the village of Greenough being indeed barely qualified: some of them decided to go a few kilometers to the south to be on the safer side. Similar pictures can again be taken during this annular eclipse.
Beads and chromosphere can be seen on all the pictures that were taken without any solar filter. Note: not using any proper solar filter is not recommended unless you know exactly what you’s doing. If you are not experienced then please DO NOT ATTEMPT this and DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THE OPTICAL VIEWFINDER OR ANY OTHER OPTICAL DEVICE WITHOUT A SOLAR FILTER.

After carefully studying the lunar limb profile and looking at the map of the various locations near the edges of this annular eclipse path, here are my main three recommendations:
- first if you choose to aim for the northern limit, then do make sure you position yourself at an ant-umbral depth of at least six percents (please refer to my eclipse map) to have both prolonged beads and a couple seconds of true annularity; if you go closer to the northern edge you’ll only get prolonged beads but the eclipse will never become truly annular.
- second if you target the southern limit, then do make sure you you position yourself at an ant-umbral depth of at least three percents (please refer to my eclipse map) to get both prolonged beads and a couple seconds of true annularity.
- last make sure you take into account the elevation of your viewing location as it can slightly shift the eclipse path, particularly at low solar elevations.
If you choose to be inside the grazing zone, that is closer to the edges of the eclipse path, then you will maximize the prolonged beads without any true annularity time.
On my side I will attempt annularity at sunrise from Saudi Arabia and if the sky is not clear enough on the horizon then likely an edge observation further down the eclipse path.

Last page update on February 26, 2018.
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