Some in US May See This on Saturday

It's a solar eclipse weekend, though the show on Saturday will range from the spectacular (parts of Oregon and the Southwest) to the less so (the Northeast) across the US. Specifically, it's an annular solar eclipse, which features a "ring of fire" for those in the right spot. (Be warned: Space.com suggests clouds might spoil the show.) Details:

• The start: The eclipse starts at 9:30am PDT Saturday in Oregon and ends at 12:03pm CDT in Texas, per NASA. Check the NASA map for the "ring of fire" visibility swath—in which more than 90% of the sun will be blocked by the moon—which hits parts of Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas.
• Everyone else: Even if they won't see the ring of fire, everyone in the continental US should be able to see at least a partial eclipse, notes Smithsonian. Check this interactive map to plug in your location to get times. The NASA map also will give a sense of how much of an eclipse you'll see. (In Maine, for example, it's about 10%.)
• Incentive: This type of eclipse won't be visible in the US again until 2046.

• Honoring tradition: The Navajo Nation is closing tourist destinations such as Four Corners Monument and Monument Valley in the primary viewing path of the eclipse to honor cultural traditions that celebrate it, notes the AP. The story looks at how other Indigenous cultures are handling the spectacle.
• A prelude: A bigger shows comes next year: A total solar eclipse will be visible in the US in April, and those who hope to be in its primary path better start planning now.

(More solar eclipse stories.)