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Solar Eclipse Countdown Day 2: Eclipse Science

 Today’s topic is: Eclipse Science (4/3/24)


At its simplest, an eclipse is a shadow, no different than using your hand to block the sun. By a cool trick of nature (or providence), the apparent angular size of the Sun and the Moon are each approximately 1/2° (the Sun has a diameter about 400 times larger than the Moon, but is also 400 times further away from the Earth). This means that the Moon can currently* completely block the sun if it is at the correct alignment. This happens approximately every 18 months (if the orbit of the Sun and the Moon were in the same plane, we could expect a total solar eclipse once a month, but they’re about 5° off). 


The image below comes from the textbook** for our Astronomy class which is starting next year!


Types of Eclipse:

  • Annular Eclipse (Ring of Fire): The Moon is a little too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. You can see the edge of the Sun around the Moon .


  • Partial Eclipse: During a total eclipse, only a narrow part of the Earth’s surface will be in the “path of totality”. Others will see only a portion of the Sun blocked.


  • Total Eclipse: This is the main event. During a total eclipse, the Sun is completely blocked for a period of time. The temperature will drop and you will be able to safely look at the Sun for a brief period of time without special eyewear. The Sun’s corona (outer atmosphere) may even be visible.




Eclipse Paths:

The paths that eclipses take can look a little… strange. 


The best, quick explanation that I have found is from Minute Physics.



*The Moon is slowly moving away from the Earth, so its apparent size relative to the Sun is decreasing. Solar eclipses will cease in around 600 million years.

**Openstax Astronomy 2nd ed


Countdown:

  • 5 Days to Eclipse

  • Eclipse Start: 12:17 

  • Totality Start: 1:35

  • Totality End: 1:39

  • Eclipse End: 2:58

  • Current Forecast: Slightly improved today***. Still mostly cloudy with a chance of storms, but the storms may be pushing off until later in the day.


***Maybe one of those butterflies on the other side of the world will flap its wings and change our weather for the better.



PS: Apparently one of the articles that I linked yesterday was paywalled. Here's the picture that I wanted to show from Ireland.


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