Post by Joanna on Aug 17, 2017 13:23:20 GMT -5
Solar Eclipse: Monday, August 21, 2017
On Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, America will fall within the path of a total solar eclipse. The so-called Great American Total Solar Eclipse will darken skies all the way from Oregon to South Carolina, along a stretch of land about 70 miles wide. People who descend upon this “path of totality” for the big event are in for an unforgettable experience.
Remember: During totality, when the sun’s disk is completely covered by the moon, it is safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye. But skywatchers should never look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection. Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. See our complete guide to find out how to view the eclipse safely.
What is a total solar eclipse? A total solar eclipse occurs when the disk of the moon appears to completely cover the disk of the sun in the sky. The fact that total solar eclipses occur at all is a quirk of cosmic geometry. The moon orbits an average of 239,000 miles from Earth – just the right distance to seem the same size in the sky as the much-larger sun. However, these heavenly bodies line up only about once every 18 months.
What will I see during a total solar eclipse? During a total solar eclipse, the disk of the moon blocks out the last sliver of light from the sun, and the sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, becomes visible. The corona is far from an indistinct haze; skywatchers report seeing great jets and ribbons of light, twisting and curling out into the sky. “It brings people to tears,” Rick Fienberg, a spokesperson for the American Astronomical Society (AAS), told Space.com of the experience. “It makes people’s jaw drop.”
During totality, the area inside the moon’s shadow is cloaked in twilight – a very strange feeling to experience in the middle of the day. Just before and just after totality, observers can see this cloak of darkness moving toward them across the landscape, and then moving away. These effects are not visible during a partial solar eclipse, so skywatchers are encouraged to see if they are inside the path of totality during the total eclipse.
Where will the total solar eclipse be visible? The path of totality for the Aug. 21total solar eclipse stretches from Oregon to South Carolina. It passes through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
When will the total solar eclipse occur, and how long will it last? The timing of the total solar eclipse and its duration both depend on where you are within the path of totality. At most, the moon will completely cover the disk of the sun for 2 minutes and 40 seconds. That’s about how long totality will last for observers positioned anywhere along the center of the path of totality. As you move toward the edge of the path, the duration of totality will decrease. People standing at the very edge of the path may observe totality for only a few seconds. See below for a list of cities lying closest to the center of when eclipse begins and ends:
Madras, Oregon: 9:06 a.m. -11:41 a.m.
Idaho Falls, Idaho: 10:15 a.m. - 12:58 p.m.
Casper, Wyoming: 10:22 a.m. - 1:09 p.m.
Lincoln, Nebraska: 11:37 a.m. - 2:29
Jefferson City, Missouri: 11:46 a.m. - 2:41 p.m.
Carbondale, Illinois: 11:52 a.m. - 2:47 p.m.
Paducah, Kentucky: 11:54 a.m. - 2:49 p.m.
Nashville, Tennessee: 11:58 a.m. - 2:54 p.m.
Clayton, Georgia: 1:06 p.m. - 4:01 p.m.
Columbia, South Carolina: 1:03 p.m. - 4:06 p.m.
Do I need any equipment to view the eclipse? Anyone planning to view the total solar eclipse of 2017 should get a pair of solar viewing glasses. These protective shades make it possible for observers to look directly at the sun before and after totality. The following four companies sell eclipse glasses that meet the international standard (ISO 12312-2) recommended by NASA, the AAS and other scientific organizations: Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics, Thousand Oaks Optical, Lunt Solar Systems and TSE 17. Sunglasses cannot be used in place of solar viewing glasses. During totality, when the disk of the sun is completely covered by the moon, it is safe to look up at the celestial sight with the naked eye.
Binoculars are helpful for seeing more detail in the solar corona. Telescopes are not necessary, but some skywatchers may use low-powered telescopes to observe the sun’s atmosphere during totality. Note that telescopes, binoculars and cameras must be fitted with solar filters before and after totality. Pointing an unprotected lens directly at the sun can damage the instrument. Never look at the sun through binoculars, a telescope or a camera lens without a solar filter – the magnified light can damage your eyes faster than looking at the sun unaided.
Skywatchers outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse. Solar viewing glasses allow skywatchers to look directly at the moon’s progress across the face of the sun. You also can view the progress of a partial solar eclipse using a pinhole camera.
What else should I know before viewing the eclipse? Aug. 21 may be one of the worst traffic days in national history, some NASA representatives predict. Although about 12 million people live within the narrow band of totality, approximately 25 million reside within a day’s drive of it and the agency has estimated the population inside the path of totality may double on the day of the eclipse. With this in mind, make sure you plan for extra travel time, especially on the day of the eclipse. Most hotel rooms inside the path of totality have been booked for months or years, so you may not be able to stay inside the path the night before.
When selecting a location where you plan to view the eclipse, keep in mind your proximity to food, water, parking and facilities. Attending an organized eclipse event is an ideal way to make sure necessities are nearby. Traveling even short distances could be difficult in some areas and midday in the middle of August means extreme heat in many parts of the country.
When is the next time a total solar eclipse will be visible in America? In 2024, a total solar eclipse will darken the skies above Mexico and Texas, up through the Midwest and northeastern U.S.
Solar Eclipse Myths and Superstitions
Solar eclipses have caused fear, inspired curiosity and been associated with myths, legends and superstitions throughout history. Even today, an eclipse of the Sun is considered a bad omen in many cultures.
Ancient Explanation for Solar Eclipse. Ancient cultures tried to understand why the Sun temporarily vanished from the sky, so they came up with various reasons for what caused a solar eclipse. In many cultures, the legends surrounding solar eclipses involve mythical figures eating or stealing the Sun. Others interpreted the event as a sign of angry or quarreling gods.
Hungry Demons, Thieving Dogs. In Vietnam, people believed that a solar eclipse was caused by a giant frog devouring the Sun, while Norse cultures blamed wolves for eating the Sun. In ancient China, a celestial dragon was believed to lunch on the Sun, causing a solar eclipse. In fact, the Chinese word for an eclipse – chih or shih – means “to eat.” According to ancient Hindu mythology, the deity Rahu is beheaded by the gods for capturing and drinking Amrita, the gods’ nectar. Rahu’s head flies off into the sky and swallows the Sun causing an eclipse. Korean folklore offers another ancient explanation for solar eclipses. It suggests that solar eclipses happen because mythical dogs are trying to steal the Sun. Traditionally, people in many cultures get together to bang pots and pans and make loud noises during a solar eclipse because it is believed that making a noise scares away the demon causing the eclipse.
American Indian Solar Eclipse Myths and Legends. The Pomo, an indigenous group of people who live in the northwestern United States, tell a story of a bear who started a fight with the Sun and took a bite out of it. In fact, the Pomo name for a solar eclipse is “Sun got bit by a bear.” After taking a bite of the Sun and resolving their conflict, the bear, as the story goes, went on to meet the Moon and take a bite out of the Moon as well, causing a lunar eclipse. This story may have been their way of explaining why a solar eclipse happens about around two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse.
Angry Sun. The ancient Greeks believed a solar eclipse was a sign of angry gods and that it was the beginning of disasters and destruction.
How superstition influenced the course of history. The Tewa tribe of New Mexico believed a solar eclipse signaled an angry Sun who had left the skies to go to his house in the underworld.
Quarreling Sun and Moon. According to Inuit folklore, the Sun goddess Malina walked away after a fight with the Moon god Anningan. A solar eclipse happened when Anningan managed to catch up with his sister. The Batammaliba, who live in Benin and Togo, used a solar eclipse as a teaching moment. According to their legends, an eclipse of the Sun meant the Sun and Moon were fighting and the only way to stop them from hurting each other was for people on Earth to resolve all conflicts with each other.
Modern Day Sun Superstitions. Fear of solar eclipses still exists today. Many people around the world still see eclipses as evil omens that bring death, destruction, and disasters. A popular misconception is that solar eclipses can be dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn children. In many cultures, young children and pregnant women are remain indoors during a solar eclipse. In many parts of India, people fast during a solar eclipse because they believe food cooked while an eclipse occurs will be poisonous and unpure.
But not all superstitions surrounding solar eclipses are about doom. In Italy, for example, it is believed that flowers planted during a solar eclipse are brighter and more colorful than flowers planted any other time of the year.
Sources: Calla Cofield and Tariq Malik, Space.com, August 17, 2017, and TimeandDate.com.
.
