Understanding the Total Solar Eclipse April 8 2024: Interesting Facts and Causes

JAKARTA – A total solar eclipse will occur Monday, April 8, in a number of regions in America, Canada and Mexico.

This will be the first total solar eclipse in the US since August 2017. Experts say today’s event is more unique than the last.
The following is an explanation of a total solar eclipse and why this phenomenon occurs:

What is a solar eclipse?

Eclipses occur due to an alignment in space between the sun, moon and Earth. This choreography results in one celestial body obscuring another.

Depending on the position of the moon (on the side of the Earth closest or farthest from the sun), the moon can cast its shadow on the Earth or vice versa.

During a lunar eclipse, all three are aligned with Earth in the middle. Sometimes it can be seen that Earth’s shadow, illuminated by sunlight, moves across the lunar surface.

This alignment changes during a solar eclipse. The moon, while orbiting the Earth, passes between the planet and the sun in such a way. So it appears to pass directly in front of the sun, temporarily blocking its light.

With the sun behind it, the moon’s shadow is cast on the Earth. People in the path of the shadow will see day turn to dusk as the moon passes.

Why does a total solar eclipse occur?

Because the Earth is constantly orbiting the sun, and the moon is constantly orbiting the Earth. Usually eclipses occur four to seven times every year. However, total eclipses are rarer.

The causes are related to the distance from the Earth to the moon, the Earth’s orbit, and the position of the sun in the sky. When everything is aligned correctly, a total solar eclipse occurs.

A total solar eclipse also looks special from Earth thanks to cosmic coincidence. The diameter of the sun is approximately 400 times greater than that of the moon, and its position in space is approximately 400 times farther from the moon to Earth. From the planet’s perspective, these proportions make the moon and sun appear almost the same size, so solar eclipses can be dramatic, as the moon can block all or most of the star’s light.

What happens during a solar eclipse?

As the new moon slides right between Earth and the sun, the sunlight behind it projects a shadow onto part of the planet.
The natural path of the moon’s orbit produces a shadow path on Earth, called the path of totality. In it, people will experience a total solar eclipse.

The moon was closer to Earth than it was during the total solar eclipse in 2017 making for a wider path of totality. This is a rare opportunity for the public to witness a total solar eclipse, perhaps for the first time.

This total solar eclipse will be visible from the Pacific coast of central Mexico to the American Southwest, Midwest, Northeast and New England before ending in far eastern Canada. Millions of people flocked to places in the path of totality.

As the eclipse progresses, daylight fades to resemble dusk or dawn. Spectators must wear special protective glasses. Weather permitting, we may see flashes from the sun’s outer atmosphere (corona) or solar flares.

What are the Different Causes of a Partial Solar Eclipse?

People outside the path of totality will witness a partial solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the planet without achieving perfect alignment.

Different Types of Eclipses

In addition to total and partial, there are annular eclipses, where the moon is at its farthest point from Earth in its orbit. This extra distance makes the moon appear smaller when it covers the sun during an eclipse, like a black dot surrounded by a ring of fire.

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