On October 14, when the skies above Kansas City get gloomy, don't panic. Earth won't be invaded by aliens.
Since May 2012, this will be the first annular, or ring-shaped, eclipse to pass across the United States.
Additionally, since the complete eclipse in 2017, this will be the first solar eclipse of any sort.
According to NASA, a solar eclipse happens when the Earth, moon, and sun line up so that the moon is positioned in the center of the three.
According to NASA, an annular eclipse, such as the one that is predicted on October 14, occurs when the moon is at or close to its farthest point.
Because the moon is further from Earth and doesn't entirely hide the sun, it seems smaller than the sun.
The eclipse will be visible to everyone in the United States to some extent, including those living in Kansas City.
The time when the sun is completely covered when observed from a particular place is known as totality, and it starts in western Oregon.