Visible in 15 American states will be the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, which will make the eyes of residents, travelers and astronomers turn to the sky.
The eclipse is expected to be seen by about 31.5 million people who, according to NASA, are located along the path of the eclipse, while in total more than 300 million people will have the opportunity to experience even a partial eclipse.
The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk, and viewers will have the opportunity to observe the Sun’s corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, wearing only the appropriate glasses. This phase can last up to four minutes.
Much of North and Central America will have a chance to see the Moon pass in front of and cover the Sun. The eclipse will begin in the South Pacific Ocean, with the first areas of Mexico to observe it from the Pacific coast. The path of the eclipse will cross Mexico and continue into the US through Texas, continuing northeast and then into Canada.
NASA has planned live coverage of the eclipse from 8 p.m. Greek time zone and for three hours from locations throughout the US. Live coverage will be provided by its website with commentary and its telescope-only YouTube page.
8 strange things that can happen
Fox News presents the 8 strange things that could happen during the eclipse.
1. Baily’s beads
Baily’s beads are a strange phenomenon that occurs as the moon approaches the sun during a solar eclipse.
The phenomenon, which can be safely observed with the right glasses, is a burst of light at the edge of the eclipse, often referred to as the “Diamond Ring Effect”.
Just as the moon covers or begins to reveal the sun, viewers may be able to see this interesting phenomenon, said Johns Hopkins University astrophysicist Dr. Bill Blair at Fox News Digital.
“In ‘Baily’s beads’ the sun may actually be emerging through lunar valleys right along the edge of the moon,” he said.
Eclipse watchers can maximize their chances of seeing such phenomena by traveling along the “edge” of the totality zone, Blair suggested.
2. The animals went mad
During a solar eclipse wildlife species react as if day has suddenly turned to night. Local animals and birds are often “preparing to sleep or acting confused,” according to the University of Dallas.
Both the animals’ physical and auditory behaviors will change during the eclipse, National Geographic notes in an article.
“The early onset of darkness disrupts animals’ circadian rhythms, triggering a potential chorus of owls, crickets chirping or even coyote calls, depending on where the eclipse is observed,” the article states.
Because of this expected change in sound, NASA has published the Eclipse Soundscapes Project, urging eclipse viewers to pay attention and record differences in the behavior of animals in their area.
“Reports of these atypical animal behaviors date back centuries, but the effects of an eclipse on plant and animal life are not fully understood. The NASA-funded Eclipse Soundscapes Project will collect the images and sounds of a total solar eclipse with the help of its interested members to better understand how an eclipse affects different ecosystems,” says NASA.
3. Strange shadows
The changing direction of sunlight can cast some very nice shadows on Earth. Light filtering through tree leaves has been observed to leave crescent-shaped shadows as the eclipse approaches totality, Blair said.
“Even more impressively, if you have a colander or a big soup spoon with little holes, hold it up and you’ll get a bunch of little eclipses,” he said.
Only during total eclipses can special shadow zones be observed seconds before the totality of the eclipse. Shadow bands can appear on monochrome surfaces, appearing as thin, wavy lines of alternating light and dark, NASA noted. The phenomenon is similar to the sheen of a swimming pool.
4. Colder weather
The weather during a solar eclipse can change quite quickly. Local temperatures could drop more than 20 degrees near the totality of the eclipse, the University of Dallas said.
This is because when the sunlight fades, the weather starts to cool. NASA reported that a 2001 eclipse in Zambia dropped the air temperature by nearly 15 degrees.
5. Windswept… heights
In addition to changes in temperature, a solar eclipse can also bring gale force winds. A 2016 study by the University of Reading found that the eclipse could increase wind speed and change direction.
“As the sun disappears behind the moon, the ground cools suddenly, just like at sunset,” University of Reading professor Giles Harrison wrote. “This means that warm air stops rising from the ground, causing the wind speed to drop and its direction to change, as the deceleration of the air from the Earth’s surface changes,” he added.
6. Radio interference
The eclipse is known to disrupt radio frequencies. This is due to a “sudden decrease in solar radiation reaching the Earth’s atmosphere,” NASA said.
“Since the ionosphere contains charged particles (ions and electrons) and is responsible for the reflection and refraction of radio waves, changes in the ionosphere can also affect radio communications and navigation systems,” the article states.
This change in the ionosphere can change the way radio waves “propagate through it,” NASA said, which can cause signal attenuation, absorption and refraction.
7. Solar prominences
Solar prominences are rare, but they could appear during a solar eclipse. Viewers, with the right glasses, may be able to spot the solar corona peeking out from behind the moon’s shadow.
The phenomenon looks like flower petals framing the moon. These protrusions form loops of hundreds of thousands of kilometers in space, and scientists are still investigating how and why they form.
8. Appearance of other planets
As the moon will shade the sunlight, some other stars and planets could be visible. The Planetary Society reported that Venus may appear bright to the right or lower right of the sun. Jupiter, which will appear fainter, could be seen to the left or upper left of the sun.
What will appear will depend on the weather conditions at each location, but the brightest astronomical features will have the best chance of showing up, according to Live Science.
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