WITH THE GREAT ECLIPSE JUST OVER A MONTH AWAY -- ON APRIL 8TH -- YOU MAY BE WONDERING EXACTLY WHAT'LL BE GOING ON IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM TO CREATE SUCH A RARE SPECTACLE. SO THIS WEEK, WE'RE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL... TO HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ECLIPSE, HOW IT WORKS, AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR. TODAY, TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT A TOTAL ECLIPSE áIS,á HOW IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE PARTIAL ECLIPSE OUR REGION EXPERIENCED IN AUGUST 2017, AND TO EXPLAIN CERTAIN WORDS YOU'LL BE HEARING CLOSER TO APRIL 8th -- HERE'S ST. MICHAEL'S COLLEGE ASTRO- PHYSICIST ALAIN BRIZARD. <THE MOON WILL, FIRST OF ALL, CROSS THE PLANE ON WHICH EARTH AND THE SUN MOVE AND WILL GET IN FRONT OF EARTH BETWEEN EARTH AND THE SUN. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE MOON WILL CAST A SHADOW ON EARTH. AND THE SHADOW ITSELF IS CALLED THE ZONE OF TOTALITY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SHADOW OF THE MOON ON EARTH, THERE ARE TWO REGIONS. ONE IS CALLED UMBRA. THAT'S THE ZONE OF TOTALITY. AND THE OTHER ONE IS CALLED PENUMBRA: A MUCH BIGGER ZONE WHERE YOU CAN SEE A PARTIAL ECLIPSE. IN 2017, WE WERE IN THE PENUMBRA, S O WE COULD STILL SEE THE SUN. BECAUSE OF THE GEOMETRY OF THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH, THE MOON NEVER COVERED THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE SUN. THAT'S MUCH LESS RARE. BUT A TOTAL ECLIPSE, AGAIN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A DOT THE SIZE OF ABOUT 100 MILES, TRAVELING, WE WILL SEE, TRAVELING AT ABOUT 2000 MILES PER HOUR. ND SO REALLY AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE EARTH IS ROTATING, THE MOON IS MOVING, EVERYTHING IS MOVING. SO IT OCCURS VERY, VERY FAST. COME OUT AND SEE SOMETHING YOU
Popular Mechanics says this is the best telescope for viewing eclipses
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Updated: 7:36 PM CST Mar 7, 2024
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It's coming. The sun is about to pull another disappearing act across the nation, turning day into night during April’s total solar eclipse.The entire thing will last up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds on April 8, leaving those in its path of totality in total darkness.A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun.RELATED: Scientific terms you need to know to fully enjoy the Total Solar EclipseThe path of the eclipse will enter the United States in Texas, then travel through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.But don’t fret if you don’t have front-row seats. Practically everyone on the continent can catch at least a partial eclipse.So, what's the best method for viewing from home? We took that question to the experts at Popular Mechanics and asked the question: What's the best telescope for viewing this year's solar eclipse?Their advice? Turn to a telescope designed specifically for this phenomenon. THE EXPERTS' TOP PICKSHOP HERE: Lunt 40 mm Dedicated Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Telescope, from $749.00"There’s a much tastier visual feast to check out if you pick up a solar telescope, which is designed specifically to let you observe a solar eclipse and related phenomena," testers at Popular Mechanics write.The Lunt 40mm Solar Telescope provides the basic essentials perfect for a first-time introduction to solar observing. It's a true grab-and-go telescope, allowing both amateur and seasoned professionals to experience the awe-inspiring phenomena of our closest star."If you’re ready to give solar astronomy a shot, we love Lunt’s 40mm solar telescope, which has built-in filters that allow you to see “H-alpha light” coming in around 0.65 angstroms - a deep red. This color of light is produced just outside the photosphere of the Sun, where the light we see is produced. By limiting ourselves to this specific color, we can see that outer “invisible” layer. Since most of us will have to travel to see the eclipse, it also helps that this one weighs less than 3 pounds," testers at Popular Mechanics wrote.SHOP HERE: Lunt 40 mm Dedicated Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Telescope, from $749.00RELATED: The Best Telescopes For Observing Our Solar System and BeyondRELATED CONTENT
It's coming. The sun is about to pull another disappearing act across the nation, turning day into night during April’s total solar eclipse.
The entire thing will last up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds on April 8, leaving those in its path of totality in total darkness.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun.
RELATED: Scientific terms you need to know to fully enjoy the Total Solar Eclipse
The path of the eclipse will enter the United States in Texas, then travel through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
But don’t fret if you don’t have front-row seats. Practically everyone on the continent can catch at least a partial eclipse.
So, what's the best method for viewing from home? We took that question to the : What's the best telescope for viewing this year's solar eclipse?
Their advice? Turn to a telescope designed specifically for this phenomenon.
Lunt 40 mm Dedicated Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Telescope
Lunt
luntsolarsystems.com
THE EXPERTS' TOP PICK
SHOP HERE:
"There’s a much tastier visual feast to check out if you pick up a solar telescope, which is designed specifically to let you observe a solar eclipse and related phenomena," .
The provides the basic essentials perfect for a first-time introduction to solar observing. It's a true grab-and-go telescope, allowing both amateur and seasoned professionals to experience the awe-inspiring phenomena of our closest star.
"If you’re ready to give solar astronomy a shot, we love which has built-in filters that allow you to see “H-alpha light” coming in around 0.65 angstroms - a deep red. This color of light is produced just outside the photosphere of the Sun, where the light we see is produced. By limiting ourselves to this specific color, we can see that outer “invisible” layer. Since most of us will have to travel to see the eclipse, it also helps that this one weighs less than 3 pounds," .
SHOP HERE:
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