Solar Eclipse 101 | National Geographic

Summary

The video script explains solar eclipses, which occur when the new moon aligns between Earth and the sun, casting shadows on Earth. Despite the sun being 400 times larger than the moon, they appear the same size due to the moon's distance. Eclipses are predictable due to Earth and moon's orbits. There are four types of solar eclipses: total, partial, annular, and hybrid. A total eclipse is the most spectacular, visible only within the umbral shadow path. Safe viewing methods include eclipse glasses and pinhole viewers. During totality, Baily's beads and the Diamond Ring phenomenon occur. Eclipses affect animal and plant behavior, and they happen about once every 400 years at any given location. In a billion years, the moon will be too far to cause total eclipses.

Takeaways

• 🌞 A solar eclipse occurs when the new moon aligns between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun's rays from reaching Earth.
• 🌕 The sun and moon appear the same size in the sky because, despite the sun being 400 times wider, it is also 400 times farther away from Earth.
• 🔮 Astronomers can predict eclipses due to the predictable orbits of the Earth and moon.
• 🌑 The moon's orbit is typically tilted, which is why not every new moon results in an eclipse.
• 🗺️ There are two types of shadows cast during a solar eclipse: the umbra (smaller, darker shadow) and the penumbra (larger shadow).
• 🌟 There are four types of solar eclipses: total, partial, annular, and hybrid.
• 🌌 A total eclipse is the most spectacular, where the moon completely covers the sun's surface, and can only be seen within the umbral shadow.
• 🌓 A partial eclipse is seen in the penumbral shadow, where the moon appears off-center in front of the sun.
• 🌓 An annular eclipse happens when the moon is too small to fully cover the sun, due to its elliptical orbit placing it farther from Earth.
• 🌌 A hybrid eclipse is a rare event where different parts of Earth experience either an annular or total eclipse depending on the moon's distance.
• 👁️‍🗨️ Looking directly at the sun during an eclipse can cause permanent eye damage, so it's crucial to use certified eclipse-watching glasses or indirect viewing methods like a pinhole viewer.
• ✨ During totality, the last bit of sunlight visible through valleys on the moon's edge is known as Baily's beads, followed by the Diamond Ring effect just before total eclipse.
• 🌒 After totality, it's safe to remove eclipse glasses briefly, but they must be put back on before any sunlight reappears to avoid eye damage.
• 🌳 Animals and plants may change their behavior during a total eclipse, such as birds ceasing to sing and flowers starting to close.
• 🌛 The moon moves away from Earth by about one and a half inches each year, which will eventually prevent total solar eclipses from being visible in about a billion years.

Q & A

What causes a solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs when a new moon moves between the Earth and the sun, blocking some or all of the sun's rays from reaching the Earth.

Why do the sun and moon appear the same size in the sky?

The sun is 400 times wider than the moon, but it is also 400 times farther away, which makes them appear the same size in our sky.

Why isn't there a solar eclipse every month?

The moon's orbit is usually tilted a few degrees north or south in relation to the Earth, so it doesn't always pass directly between the Earth and the sun.

What are the two types of shadows cast by the moon during a solar eclipse?

The moon casts two types of shadows on Earth during a solar eclipse: a smaller, darker shadow known as the umbra, and a larger shadow known as the penumbra.

What are the four types of solar eclipses?

The four types of solar eclipses are total, partial, annular, and hybrid eclipses.

What is the path of totality and why is it significant?

The path of totality is the imaginary line created by the umbral shadow as it races across Earth. It is significant because a total eclipse can only be seen if you're standing within this shadow.

What happens during an annular eclipse?

An annular eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in front of the sun but appears too small to fully cover the sun, leaving a ring of sunlight visible around the moon.

What is a hybrid eclipse and how does it occur?

A hybrid eclipse occurs when the moon's position between the Earth and sun is finely balanced, resulting in an annular eclipse in some parts of Earth and a total eclipse in others due to the curvature of the Earth.

How often does a total solar eclipse happen somewhere on Earth?

A total solar eclipse happens somewhere on Earth every year or two.

Why is it unsafe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse?

Looking directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, can cause permanent eye damage because the sun's rays are still intense enough to harm the eyes.

What are some safe ways to view a solar eclipse?

Safe ways to view a solar eclipse include using certified eclipse-watching glasses, which are thousands of times darker than typical sunglasses, or by making a pinhole viewer to project the sun's image onto a flat surface.

What is the Diamond Ring effect and when does it occur?

The Diamond Ring effect occurs just before the moon completely covers the sun, where the last remaining brilliant shaft of light appears as a single bead of light before the totality is achieved.

How long does totality typically last during a solar eclipse?

Totality, the period when the moon completely covers the sun, typically lasts for less than three minutes.

How do animals and plants react during a total solar eclipse?

Animals and plants may alter their behavior during a total eclipse, with songbirds stopping singing, crickets starting to chirp, and flowers potentially closing up.

Will we always be able to see total solar eclipses?

No, we won't always be able to see total solar eclipses. The moon moves about one and a half inches away from Earth each year, and it's estimated that in about a billion years, it will be too far away to completely cover the sun.