Eclipse | Next Eclipse | 2024 astrobites

When one heavenly body passes into the shadow of another, an eclipse happens. Solar and lunar Eclipses, which affect the Earth, Moon, and Sun, are the two main kinds of eclipses in astronomy.

Solar Eclipse:

Three categories of solar eclipses exist:

Complete Eclipse of the Sun: A small area of Earth experiences a shadow, known as the umbra, when the Moon entirely obscures the Sun. The sky grows darker and the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, is visible during totality.
Partial Solar Eclipse: This type of eclipse only affects a portion of the Sun and happens outside of the entire eclipse’s path.
Annular Solar Eclipse: The Moon’s eccentric orbit keeps it too far away from Earth to fully obscure the Sun. This causes a dazzling ring of the Sun’s surface, or the “ring of fire,” to remain visible around the Moon.

How it Happens (2D Explanation):

The Sun, Moon, and Earth are arranged in a straight line in a two-dimensional diagram of a solar eclipse. Two shadows are thrown on Earth by the moon:

Umbra:The deeper, middle shadow known as the umbra is where complete eclipses are seen.
Penumbra: Where partial eclipses happen, this is the lighter, outer shadow.

Lunar Eclipse:

When the Earth moves in front of the Sun and the Moon, the Moon is shadowed, a lunar eclipse takes place. This is only possible when the Earth is perfectly positioned between the Sun and the Moon during a full moon.

Three categories of lunar eclipses exist:

Total Lunar Eclipse: The Moon is entirely engulfed in Earth’s umbra, reflecting sunlight through Earth’s atmosphere to give it a reddish hue (often referred to as a “blood moon”).
Partial Lunar Eclipse: The Moon appears darker in certain areas because just a piece of it is in Earth’s umbra.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: The Moon’s surface is subtly shaded as it travels through the penumbral shadow of the Earth.

How it Happens (2D Explanation):

The Sun, Earth, and Moon are arranged in a straight line with Earth at the center in a two-dimensional illustration of a lunar eclipse. The Moon receives the Earth’s shadow, and depending on the Moon’s position, the umbra and penumbra produce distinct kinds of eclipses.

Why Eclipses Don’t Happen Every Month?

A lunar eclipse happens during a full moon, and a solar eclipse occurs during a new moon, although these events don’t happen every month. This is due to the tilt of the Moon’s orbit around Earth, which is around 5 degrees different from Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Eclipses only happen when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align precisely twice a year during what are called the eclipse seasons.

Next Eclipse:

On October 2, 2024, there will be an annular solar eclipse; however, it will primarily be visible in areas such as sections of South America and the Pacific.

Fact:

It’s interesting to note that, in only a few minutes, the temperature can drop by as much as 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit (5-8 degrees Celsius) during a total solar eclipse. This occurs as a result of the Moon’s shadow momentarily blocking sunlight and causing a sharp drop in temperature.

Furthermore, during totality, some nocturnal creatures become active, birds cease singing, and crickets chirp, giving the impression that it is nightfall. The abrupt change in behavior shows how reliant animals are on ambient light cues!

Because of the Sun’s brilliance, astronomers can also examine the corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun, during these brief periods of darkness.

Visualizing Eclipses in 2D:

Astronomical eclipse diagrams typically depict the Sun, Earth, and Moon as a straight line in two dimensions. These illustrations show the shadows (umbra and penumbra) cast by the celestial bodies as well as the alignment necessary for an eclipse.

Through historical observation and study, eclipses are interesting astronomical events that have advanced our knowledge of how celestial bodies move through space.