A total solar eclipse, which is a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event for most people, is set to happen tonight. While the eclipse is not visible in India, you can watch it through the live stream below.
A total solar eclipse is often described as a once-in-a-lifetime event because once it happens in one location, it may not happen again at that exact place for centuries.
Why don’t eclipses happen more often?
Solar eclipses happen when the Sun, the Moon and the Earth get perfectly aligned in that order. If the Moon orbited the Earth on the same plane the planet orbited the Sun, an eclipse would happen about ten times a month, but that is not the case. The plane of the orbit of the Moon around the Earth is about 5 degrees apart from the planet of the orbit of the Earth and the Moon. This means that the three celestial bodies are perfectly aligned much more rarely.
How will the eclipse affect air temperature?
Yes. Since at least part of the Sun’s disc will be covered during the eclipse as it goes from partial to total and back to partial again, you can expect air temperature to drop by a few degrees as it happens.
Why are total solar eclipses so rare?
While there can be between two and five solar eclipses every year, total eclipses only happen about once every 18 months or so. This is because a total eclipse is only visible if one is standing in the umbra — the other part of the shadow is called the penumbra, which is not as dark as the umbra. The umbral shadow is very small, covering only a small part of Earth. In fact, the entire path of the umbral shadow during a solar eclipse will only cover less than one per cent of the globe. This is why only very few people will get to see a total eclipse at a time.
When is the next total soalr eclipse that will be visible in India?
The next total solar eclipse that will be visible in India will happen on March 20, 2034.
What safety precautions must be taken when looking at the eclipse?
Well, to begin with, do not look at the eclipse directly with your n+ked eyes. That also means that you should not look at it with a telescope, binoculars or any other kind of viewing device that does not have a specialised solar eclipse filter attached to it.
Will taking pictures of the eclipse hurt my smartphone?
There is a small chance that pointing your smartphone’s camera directly at the Sun could cause damage to its camera sensor. It would be better to err on the side of caution and use a specialised solar filter for your phone just like you would for your eyes. It will also help you take better pictures of the eclipse when it happens.
Are regular sunglasses enough to protect eyes from the eclipse?
While regular sunglasses might serve you well on a sunny day, it does nothing to protect you when you are looking directly at the Sun. Even the darkest of sunglasses let in too much light, meaning that you could damage your eyes beyond repair. Specially designed solar eclipse glasses, on the other hand, block out more than 99.9999 per cent of the sunlight, protecting you from most of the Sun’s harmful rays.
Is it okay for pr3gnant women to look at the solar eclipse?
Well, it depends. It is not really safe for anyone to look at the eclipse directly unless they are wearing specialised solar glasses. But as long as they take the necessary precautions, it is safe for pr3gnant women to look at the eclipse.
What time will the total solar eclipse be visible to me?
This handy map from NASA shows the path the total solar eclipse will take and at what time it will be visible in different parts of the United States.
It is dangerous to look directly at the total solar eclipse without specialised eye protection.
SOURCE : BBC NEWS
