Caption: A diagram giving an explication of annular solar eclipses.
To further explicate: An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes completely into the disk of the Sun (i.e., the disk of the Sun's photosphere), but the Moon is at a relatively distant part of its orbit and CANNOT cover the complete photosphere.
The uncovered photosphere appears as a bright ring around the black (i.e., nighttime-side) Moon. Annulus is just Latin for ring and gives rise to the name annular solar eclipse.
Another perspective on annular solar eclipses is to say the Moon's umbra doesn't reach the Earth. This perspective is made clear in the diagram.
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David Jeffery,
2004 / Own work.
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