The eclipse of the century. What you need to know about the April 8 eclipse (II)

this is a follow up of a prevoius post

Another factor that explains why total solar eclipses are so rare is the tilt of the natural satellite's orbit. “The orbital plane of the Moon is inclined, relative to the orbital plane of the Earth, by approximately five degrees,” says the astrophysicist. We can therefore see the Moon passing between the Earth and the Sun without it being perfectly aligned with the Sun. »

A total solar eclipse occurs approximately every 18 months on Earth. In Quebec, the last one dates back to 1972. To find out when the next eclipses visible from Canada will take place in the next millennium, select a city below!

What will happen on April 8?

So what can we expect on April 8? Let's dissect each of the stages of this total solar eclipse.

2:14 p.m. – The partial eclipse begins, a little over an hour before the start of the totality phase. During this time, the Moon gradually covers the Sun. This quietly takes the shape of a crescent in the sky. “At the beginning, we see almost nothing, unless we look with the appropriate glasses, thanks to which we will notice that a small piece of the Sun is slightly hidden,” underlines Mr. Lamontagne.

2:43 p.m. – As the Sun is covered by the Moon (“at least 70%”), the Sun’s crescent becomes more and more evident. We can also notice this shape without having to stare at the Sun: just look at the ground! The shadows of the trees and their many branches will be dotted with luminous crescents. “We will start to notice that the light becomes a little weaker, a bit like at the end of the day,” adds Robert Lamontagne.

3:10 p.m. – About fifteen minutes before the start of the totality phase, we begin to notice a change in the air. The sky slowly darkens, and the colors take on darker, grayish tones. The climate is also starting to be affected. Then, as darkness sets in and light becomes scarce, we begin to observe a change in behavior in the animals.

3:24 p.m. – Totality is imminent. The Sun is almost entirely hidden by the Moon, and the solar corona begins to appear. We can see bands of shadow, characterized by movements of light and darkness on flat surfaces. “But as long as there is a small part of the Sun that is not hidden, we are still in the daytime. The sky is not black, we do not see stars or planets in the sky,” explains the astrophysicist.

By observing the Sun with appropriate glasses just before the start of totality, we will also see small points of light around the Moon, the Baily grains, caused by the light of the Sun shining through the mountainous terrain of our satellite natural. When only one of these grains remains visible, just before the Sun disappears, it gives the illusion of a diamond ring in the sky.

4:36 p.m. – The partial eclipse ends. For those who missed the event in Montreal, the date for the next total solar eclipse will be in 2205!

“There is an almost spiritual aspect to seeing this,” describes Robert Lamontagne, who has already witnessed total solar eclipses outside Quebec. “It’s an impressive phenomenon to see night coming in broad daylight. There are very, very few humans who have seen this. [...] For the vast majority of people, it will only happen once in their life, or so. »

(to be continued)

The eclipse of the century. What you need to know about the April 8 eclipse (III)

this is a follow up of a prevoius post

Attending an astronomical event which has an apparent impact on Earth is also a testimony to our “connection with the Cosmos”, according to him. Experiencing it in a group is even better. “It’s like when the Canadian scores a goal for hockey fans, it’s a collective experience. If you're watching a game at home, it's not the same as being at the stadium, arena or sports bar, right? »

Confused animals

The drop in brightness during the partial eclipse causes behavioral changes in nature. They can easily be observed in birds, among others. “For them, it’s the end of the day. They sing a bit like at sunset, they become calmer. [...] It's the night that begins, even if it's very disturbing, because it only lasts three or four minutes. » When the Sun reappears in the sky, we witness the opposite effect: the birds begin to sing again and the vegetation returns to its usual state.

Stay warm !

With the gradual disappearance of the Sun in the sky, “we will feel a drop in temperature”. The mercury could drop four or five degrees in the area of totality, and even up to 10 degrees, depending on the location and the weather that day. Winds can also change direction or gain strength. To avoid unpleasant surprises, Robert Lamontagne advises dressing accordingly. “Wrap yourself a little wool, because we're going to feel that it's cold! »

Eclipses, an astrological mystery

Draconian changes, emotional upheavals, a dragon that devours the Sun... Astrological traditions around the world have attempted to explain eclipses, but also to determine their influence on human life. “The life of our ancestors was organized around the Cosmos, that is to say that the sky had a capital importance for them on several levels”, much more than for us, underlines the astrophysicist. However, no effects on humans have been proven so far by science.

A distant future without a total eclipse?

Throughout the entire period of human civilization, solar eclipses have had the same appearance, occurring in partial, total or annular form. But that hasn’t always been the case on Earth – and that could also change in several hundred million years.

As the Moon moves away from our planet, at a leisurely pace of a few centimeters per year, its relative size in the sky decreases. This change is imperceptible on our scale, but a day will still come when the Moon will no longer be able to cover the Sun in its entirety. “From that moment on, we will have solar eclipses, but they will always be annular,” explains Robert Lamontagne. And that’s going to happen in about 600 million years. »

Conversely, hundreds of millions, even billions of years ago, the Moon occupied a much larger place in the sky. Eclipses were therefore more frequent, and lasted much longer.

How to Can photograph a solar eclipse with your cellphone

We know that the solar eclipse of April 8 can cause damage to the eyes if observed without protective glasses. The same goes for cameras, which could be damaged if used without a proper filter. And this also applies to smartphones.

It is the camera sensor that detects light and then converts it into an image; it is, in a way, the retina of our devices. We must therefore cover their lens with a filter complying with the ISO 12312-2 standard to avoid breaking them. Please note: this filter must completely cover the front of the device bezel.

NASA also warns that you should not look at the sun through your camera's viewfinder, even with protective glasses, because it can concentrate the Sun's rays like a telescope: they could then pass through the glasses and burn the retina.

However, it is safe to take photos without a filter during the period of total darkness, just as it is possible to watch the eclipse with the naked eye at this precise moment.

“We really want to commemorate an event like that,” recognizes an astrophysicist in an interview. She recommends using specialized filters, but “if you really want to do it a bit “homemade”, a smartphone and your eclipse glasses over the camera can do the job.”

NASA also offers some advice to people who want to take good eclipse photos, including using a tripod and a self-timer to stabilize the camera and avoid blurry images. This is particularly important when the light is low. Adjusting the exposure – the amount of light that reaches the sensor – will also be necessary to obtain good results.

The astrophysicist points out, however, that the total eclipse will last from a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on where you are. So now is not the time to play with your phone to take a photo. “There are lots of beautiful images of the eclipse that will be released by professionals. Really, look with your naked eye and enjoy the show, because you don't know if you're going to see another one. »

This observation is shared by the American Astronomical Society. It is unlikely that you will be able to take good photos of the eclipse without professional equipment. Why not just put your phone away and enjoy the moment?

The eclipse of the century. What you need to know about the April 8 eclipse (I)

On Monday, April 8, southern Quebec will witness an unprecedented cosmic phenomenon: the sky will darken in the middle of the afternoon, a first in 92 years in Montreal. But what is a solar eclipse? What to expect that day? And when will the next eclipses of this kind occur in Quebec? Decryption.

Let's quickly recall a few facts: the Moon, the Earth's natural satellite, revolves around the planet in approximately one month, while the latter completes its revolution around the Sun in one year. When these three stars are aligned, we then witness an eclipse, explains astrophysicist Robert Lamontagne.

“In the case of a solar eclipse, the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are aligned” in this precise order, explains the man who has long been director of the telescope at the Mont-Mégantic Observatory. “So the Moon is exactly between us and the Sun. It’s a bit like when we walk outside and it’s sunny: we see our shadow [on the ground]. In this case, it is the shadow of the Moon which happens to touch the Earth. »

The dimensions of the Moon and the Sun as well as their respective distance from the Earth mean that the two stars appear to be approximately the same size in the sky. During a total eclipse, the Moon perfectly covers the Sun, completely hiding it from view for a period of time. That of April 8 will last approximately three minutes.

We can sometimes witness an annular solar eclipse, where the Moon takes up less space in the sky and reveals a ring of light around it as it passes in front of the Sun. The next eclipse visible from Quebec will take place in 2048.

The opposite phenomenon, that is to say when the Earth is aligned between the Sun and the Moon, gives rise to a lunar eclipse (the next one will take place in March 2025 in Canada). The portion of the Moon hidden by the Earth then takes on a reddish tint, the result of solar rays refracted by the Earth's atmosphere. Given the larger size of planet Earth compared to its natural satellite, it is much more common to observe lunar eclipses than solar eclipses, underlines Mr. Lamontagne.

(to be continued)

Zodiac signs that will be lucky in the next 6 months of 2024. Their fate changes after the solar eclipse on April 8

The solar eclipse on April 8 brings new major changes in the lives of several signs in the European horoscope. Their lives can change radically, especially since these natives realize the importance of change and choose to raise their level of quality of life.

Love, money, health and solving many problems are announced to be the main changes. Find out from the lines below if your zodiac sign can also be counted among them.

Aries give the blow on the financial plan

People born under this zodiac sign choose to let go of the lifestyle that holds them back and gives them no advantage. Many of them probably choose to leave their current job for a much better one. Also, as far as natives with an entrepreneurial spirit are concerned, chances are high that they will open their own business or partner with a partner.

Cancers get out of toxic relationships

The love plan targets these natives in the coming period. Many who become aware that they are in toxic relationships will find the courage to get out of them.

Libras solve several age-old problems

It's time for Libras to do justice to them and fix more stressful situations in their lives. It may be a conflict about an injustice done to them. If Libras have lost hope by now, solutions will appear shortly.

Capricorns get rid of several health problems

These natives find the cure for various autoimmune diseases they face. Their frustration and all their pains may come to an end in the coming period. Capricorns who face financial problems, on the other hand, will have a big surprise.

Virgos' lives change for the better

Many natives of this zodiac sign will experience immense joy. Whether we're talking about the birth of a child or other family changes, Virgos will know they've hit the jackpot.

Bulls fulfill their biggest dream

Determination, self-discipline and the need to radically change their lives will lead Taurus to give up environments and people that stop their evolution. The time has come for a new chapter of their lives to begin in the next period.

April 8 Total Solar Eclipse that fascinates North America (II)

The gang starts from Mexico (Mazatlan area), crosses the USA and reaches Canada (the end is in the Newfoundland region). 

The last total solar eclipse visible from the US was in 2017, but the band of totality was smaller and less wide. At the eclipse seven years ago, the number of people living inside the band of totality was 12 million people. At the current eclipse, it is about 32 million US residents.

Millions of people are expected to come inside the belt of totality, as 150 million people live within 350 km of areas where the Sun will be completely covered.

Some cities have been preparing for three years for the big event which is seen as an opportunity to attract tourists to areas where they would otherwise not be tempted to come. There will be more police and some cities have installed lots of public toilets. People have been warned that mobile phone networks may suffer in places where many thousands of people will gather.

Festivals and concerts are also organized on the day of the eclipse. 

There was also no shortage of conspiracy theories claiming that the eclipse would bring disaster, such as a collapse of communications networks.

Heavy traffic jams are expected, airlines have introduced special flights to cities where the eclipse will be best seen, and there are towns expecting tens of thousands of tourists on April 8.

So the 2024 eclipse will be watched by far more people than seven years ago, the period of darkness will last longer and for many it is an occasion worth taking a long flight or driving over 10 hours for to the band of totality.

April 8 Total Solar Eclipse that fascinates North America (I)

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, thereby completely or partially obscuring the solar disk for an observer on Earth.

How do solar eclipses occur? 

The Moon revolves around the Earth, and the Earth and Moon revolve around the Sun. Sometimes it happens that the Moon interposes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking its light.

Eclipses are not only interesting for the general public, but also for researchers, because they are a good opportunity to study the solar corona, a region that is generally difficult to analyze precisely because the sun is so bright.

​Solar eclipses are special events and people can't wait to see them, but few eclipses have generated as much interest as the one that will be visible from North America on April 8. For some cities it will be the biggest event in recent decades and millions of people will come to the area where it will be night for a few minutes. Why is this eclipse special?

This solar eclipse is special because the band of totality, i.e. the area where it will be dark in broad daylight, is several thousand km long and even more than 180 km wide.

In addition, the Sun will be covered for longer: the 2017 eclipse had a maximum coverage of 2 minutes and 40 seconds, and the April 8, 2024 eclipse will have a maximum of 4 minutes and 28 seconds. There will be 3 minutes and 51 seconds of darkness in Dallas, two seconds less in Indianapolis, and three and a half minutes in Niagara Falls. NASA has a lot of information about the eclipse, and to see it you can go here.

In most cases, inside the band of totality - if you go 40km towards its center - you can get an extra 90 seconds of darkness during the eclipse, which isn't bad at all for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

(to be continued)