Get your eclipse glasses out and get ready for the total solar eclipse coming up this April 8th! For this week’s blog post we’re going to take a deep dive into solar eclipses, what they are, their importance in scientific discovery and what you can expect on eclipse day.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, temporarily blocking the face of the Sun and casting a shadow on the Earth (NASA, 2024c). There are three main categories of solar eclipses: total, annular (where the moon is oriented closer to the Sun and appears smaller in size) and partial (where the Moon only blocks part of the Sun) (Canadian Space Agency, 2023). Of the three, total solar eclipses are especially unique since they involve the perfect alignment of both celestial bodies such that the Moon entirely blocks the Sun. The path of totality is a narrow strip only 100 to 115 km wide, so we are extremely lucky to get this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Hamilton.
A total solar eclipse offers unique opportunities for scientists to study the corona (part of the Sun’s atmosphere) which is not visible under normal conditions (NASA, 2024b). By studying the corona, observations about how heat and energy are transferred into solar winds can be made. Total solar eclipses can also offer insight into the Sun’s impact on Earth’s atmosphere since it causes localized blocking of solar energy. This is especially important when it comes to learning more about the ionosphere, since this is the region housing many low-orbit satellites.
In order to safely view the eclipse ensure that you are using ISO 12312-2:2015 certified eclipse glasses during all phases before and after totality (NASA, 2024a). Failure to properly protect your eyes may result in severe eye injury including permanent retina damage (i.e. solar retinopathy) and even blindness (McMaster University, 2024). On McMaster campus, free eclipse glasses provided through the Office of the Provost and the Faculty of Science may be picked-up at locations including Thode, Mills and Health Sciences service desks (McMaster University, 2024). It is also important to note that you cannot use camera lens, binoculars or telescopes unless the front of the optics have been secured with a specially designed solar filter (NASA, 2024a). Additionally, take precautions to protect your skin (e.g. apply sunscreen, wear a hat and protective clothing), especially if you are planning to watch the entire eclipse since you may be exposed to hours of direct sunshine.
In Hamilton, the eclipse will start at 2:03 PM and end by 4:30 PM on Monday April 8th (McMaster University, 2024). Totality will occur for 96 seconds starting at 3:18 PM. During this time don’t forget to look out for the diamond-ring effect which appears as a bright ring of light around the outline of the moon and Baily’s beads which resemble concentrated ‘dots’ of light on the ring (Gemignani, 2024; Thomas, 2024).
Wishing you a safe and happy eclipse day!
References
Canadian Space Agency, 2023. Solar eclipses guide: when is the next solar eclipse? [online] Canadian Space Agency. Available at: <https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/eclipses/solar-eclipses.asp> [Accessed 30 March 2024].
Gemignani, A., 2024. Baily’s Beads. [online] Available at: <https://science.nasa.gov/resource/baileys-beads/> [Accessed 31 March 2024].
McMaster University, 2024. How to watch a total solar eclipse safely. [online] Available at: <https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/articles/total-solar-eclipse-safety-hamilton/> [Accessed 30 March 2024].
NASA, 2024a. Eclipse Safety. [online] Available at: <https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/> [Accessed 30 March 2024].
NASA, 2024b. NASA Eclipse Science. [online] Available at: <https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/nasa-research/> [Accessed 30 March 2024].
NASA, 2024c. Types of Solar Eclipses. [online] Available at: <https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/types/> [Accessed 30 March 2024].
Thomas, C., 2024. Putting a Ring on it: 2017 Total Solar Eclipse. [online] Available at: <https://science.nasa.gov/resource/putting-a-ring-on-it-2017-total-solar-eclipse/> [Accessed 31 March 2024].