Hello Royals, the solar eclipse is today, as most of you may know, due to the overload of comments from everyone. Solar eclipses are rare and only happen every few years. When they happen, the moon passes in front of the sun, making everything quite dark for a little bit. People have even been traveling to other states to see it better. Special glasses are made so you can’t stare into the sun; otherwise, your cornea may get hurt! With careful precautions, the solar eclipse can be a fun experience. With that in mind, here are some fun facts about this day!
- A Viking fable tells the story of the Sun god Sol being constantly chased by a wolf, Skoll. When Skoll catches Sol, an eclipse happens and the Viking people are instructed to bang pots and pans together to frighten the wolf away and return the sun.
- When the eclipse happens, the Earth as a planet drops in temperature
- In an expedition led by Sir Arthur Eddington, the solar eclipse 1919 helped prove Einstein’s theory of relativity by obscuring the sun’s glare. This allowed for scientists to observe the warped light of stars affected by the sun’s gravity.
- One day, the solar eclipses will no longer be possible on Earth.
- ASB President Kian Strenn traveled to El Paso to view the eclipse in its totality. Benjamin Watson
- Almost identical eclipses occur after 18 years and 11 days – known as the Saros Cycle. (ThePlanets.org)
- The end of the eclipse for the U.S. is in Maine (astronomy.com)
- Regions experiencing an eclipse can expect a change in wind direction. First, the wind dies as the moon gets closer to blocking the sun. After the moon reaches peak coverage, the wind starts to kick back up, often blowing in a different direction (livescience.com)
- Solar eclipses can uniquely impact animals, and animals are being observed during these years.(Akron Beacon Journal)
- It was the longest totality on land in the last 13 years. (Forbes)
Enjoy the eclipse, friends, family, and Royals!
