| 2024 Apr 8: Total Solar Eclipse (2023-12-13) ⬅︎ |
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On April 8, 2024, the Moon will appear to pass in front of the Sun and completely cover its disk. A shadow of the Moon will extend to Earth's surface causing the sky below to become dark as if it were nighttime. Animals will become confused. The Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, will become visible. After a too-quick few minutes, the shadow will pass, bringing the period of totality to an end.
For those who have never experienced such an event, the excitement expressed prior to the event may seem bewildering and over-the-top. But for those who've experienced totality, words can't express how spectacular and moving it can be. How do people react during an event? Gasps, then silence, followed by tears, and then applause when totality ends are the norm. Is their any greater show on Earth?
While having an opportunity to view a total eclipse is great news, the not-so-good news for those of us in the Starry Hill region (Pacific Northwest), is that the path of totality will be about 2,000+ miles away. Here's a map:
So, from Starry Hill, the eclipse will not be total. But it will be partial (see the image above). It will start at 10:38 AM as the New Moon's disk appears to cover the Sun's disk. Greatest eclipse will occur at 11:17. It will all be over about two hours later. Since most of the Sun's disk will not be covered, the sky will remain bright.
Cool Facts about Total Solar Eclipses:
* The Moon is about 400 times smaller than the Sun in diameter and, very remarkably, 400 times closer to
us than the Sun. This makes both Moon and Sun virtually the same angular size in our sky -- one-half of one degree.
* Both Moon and Sun follow nearly identical paths in our sky with the Moon being about twelve times
faster than the Sun giving us twelve months in a year.
* At every New Moon, the Moon catches up to the Sun in our sky and then passes it. Usually the Moon is
a little bit above or below the sun so this happens without notice from earth.
* About every eighteen months the Moon passes directly in front of the sun at a New Moon. This creates
a dark shadow somewhere on the earth called the umbra that can be up to about 166 miles in diameter but
usually much smaller. Those within the umbra can experience a total solar eclipse.
* A dimmer shadow, known as the penumbra surrounds the umbra. It can be over a thousand
miles in diameter. Those within the penumbra can experience a partial solar eclipse.
* The last time a total solar eclipse occurred in the Pacific Northwest was in 1979, nearly 40 years ago.
* Total solar eclipses like those on Earth happen no where else in our solar system. |
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