Eclipse: It's Not Just a Twilight Novel

in #eclipse7 years ago (edited)

By now most people have probably figured out that an eclipse is coming this Monday, as it tends to do here in America every so often. Still, I'm not sure everyone's completely clear on all the details, so I thought I'd answer some common questions:

Q: Why does everybody have to scream at everyone about everything these days?

No, I mean about the eclipse.

Q: What the heck is this thing? Is this some holdover from the 2012 Apocalypse?

This is a reasonable question, since we're still waiting for the 2012 Apocalypse. An eclipse simply happens when the shadow from one body passes over another body. For instance, one day I was lying on a beach when movie maker Michael Moore moved by. Moore blocked out the sun and ruined my tan, thus saving me from skin disease. (He refused to give me an autograph, just because I asked him when his totality would be over.)

infographic-solar-eclipse-facebook.png

Q: Huh?

Moore is rather portly, although I've been gaining on him. If you're a liberal, feel free to insert Trump's name. Oh, you mean "huh" about totality? That's the area of the Earth's surface that's completely covered by the Moon's shadow, usually only for a minute or so. During totality is the only time--and I mean ONLY time--when you can safely look directly at an eclipse without eye protection. Unfortunately, the area of totality is only about 70 miles wide. For example, in northeast Indiana the eclipse will cover about 86% of the sun, so go buy those glasses.

Q: What will happen if I look at it without protection?

Have you ever watched that episode of the TV show Supernatural, when the psychic gets to look at the true face of an angel? It's like that. Nothing left but smoking eye sockets. And yeah, that looks cool for a second, but only to everyone else.

It's perfectly safe to look at the eclipse during totality. But if even a sliver of sun is showing before or after, POOF! Seeing eye dog time. (Or, you could maintain some vision but have "just" permanent damage.)

Q: What's so important about this eclipse?

Well, it's cool, even more cool than smoking eye sockets. Also, it's rare in that, for the first time in almost a century, it will traverse the entire U.S. from coast to coast, over fourteen states. That's happened only 15 times in the last 150 years.

usa_eclipse_map_print.jpg

There are between two and five eclipses every year, but a total solar eclipse only happens every 18 months or so. Not only that, but when they do happen it's often in a place where most people don't see it, like over an ocean, or the Pacific northwest. According to this mathematical guy from Belgium, any certain spot on Earth will see a total eclipse once every 375 years. That's an average, and it's math, so I'm just taking his word for it.

This is the first time in 38 years that a total eclipse was visible anywhere in the continuous U.S. For perspective, at the time Jimmy Carter was President, and gas was 86 cents a gallon. St. Louis, which is in the path this time, last saw totality in 1442, when gasoline was even cheaper. Chicago, which saw one in 1806 but will miss this one, will next see totality in 2205, when fueling your flying car might be very expensive.

Scientists have determined there are two small areas of the country--one in northeast Colorado, and one near Lewellen, Nebraska--that haven't seen a total eclipse in over a thousand years. Talk about bad luck.

Q: So I'm guaranteed to get a good show?

Oh, heck no. See above joke about the Pacific northwest; the 1979 total eclipse over that area was largely unseen due to clouds and rain.

This isn't a Hollywood movie: Any number of things could spoil it, from bad weather to having Michael Moore stand in front of you. But I wouldn't sweat Michael (can I call him Michael?) who I've heard is looking after his health much better these days. No, the big question will be whether weather cooperates. My wife and I are heading into the path of totality, and I can pretty much guarantee a day-long driving rain, or possibly a hurricane, will hit central Missouri at about that time.

index.jpg

Q: What effects can we expect?

Fire and brimstone, dogs and cats sleeping together, total chaos, new super powers, pretty much the worst parts of the Bible. Wait, that was in the movies. Well, it'll get dark, 'cause--no sun. In the path of totality you'll see stars (or clouds), and you'll also be in for a rare treat of seeing the sun's atmosphere with the naked eye. One cool thing I noticed during a partial eclipse was that sunlight passing through the trees cast thousands of little crescent shaped shadows.

Some animals might be fooled into thinking it's twilight. In fact, eclipses have been known to thin out the local vampire population.

Geeks like me will geek out. People who don't understand, or don't care about, the difference between reality and Hollywood special effects might be disappointed.

Q: What are the greatest dangers?

As with many things in our modern society, the greatest danger might be driving. Officials expect major traffic jams as millions of people try to get into the path of totality. For those who don't make it on time or aren't expecting it, the danger is that they'll be driving down the road, trying to stare at the eclipse, only to ram someone who pulled over along the side of the road to watch the eclipse. Don't do either of those.

Otherwise, there's that smoking eye socket thing. Interestingly, during partial eclipses when the brightness doesn't seem too bad, infrared waves from the sun can still cause damage by overheating the eye, in a boiling egg kind of a way. Disturbed yet? Me, too.

Enjoy these eclipses while you can: The Moon's orbit is slowly getting larger, so the time will come when it will be too far away to completely cover the sun, meaning the end of total eclipses. Scientists predict this will happen in less than 600 million years, so go look while you still can.

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Yeah, eclipses are quiet amazing. I have never seen a total one, but a partial (about 4/5th) some years ago. So it didn't get completely dark, but darker and noticeably cooler. And the thing with the shadows is pretty weird, too.
One can understand, why the people in past times where so scared when this happens. Today, science kind of spoiled that a bit, since they can tell beforehand when it will happen, precise to the second. Then its a bit like watching a horror movie in which a narrator tells you "watch it now, some zombies will come into the room in a moment". Still a bit scary, but not very surprising.
On the other hand, its of great help for people who want to observe the whole thing properly. Some even spend a lot of money and go through great length to be at the best places at the right time, and make photos and stuff. A real bummer if its raining then.

Yeah, but at least with the help of the scientists I won't sleep through the eclipse! Guess I don't want to sleep through a zombie appearing, either.
I don't think I'm going to bother trying to take a photo--I don't have the proper equipment, and others do ... maybe this time I'll just sit back and enjoy it, if it's not cloudy.

Well, may be you can try a snapshot, but you are right, for real great photos of the eclipse it needs special equipment. But only try during the totality - not only eyes can get fried by the sun, camera sensors, too.
So just sitting back in a comfy deck chair with the super dark glasses on, and perhaps a bottle of beer, is propably a good option. Just make sure you dont fall asleep then. And then blame the science, because without knowing you wouldn't have sat in a comfy deck chair with super dark glasses on... :)
Btw, the tip about not driving around in a car during the event may be wise. Some people might be even more distracted as they are when texting on twitter, if they try to see the eclipse and then text about it on twitter. In view of this it was perhaps also a good idea to be on leave during that time.

On a entirely different matter... Wow, it seems you have made your breakthrough here on Steemit already! Looks like some whales have noticed you (whales = people with enormous voting power), congratulations! If 25 upvotes give $150 they must be pretty impressed with you.
Well, its about time that you get some reward for all the work you have put into the writing. I always believed in you. And, who knows, may be you give me a loan one day. That $15 mio thing from the Fed doesn`t look very promising anyway... :)

People are impressed with me? That's impressive! Absolutely, as soon as I get that million dollar three book deal or the lottery win, whichever comes first, you'll be first in line for the loan.

I got some photos around the eclipse, but mostly of the crowd. Honest, during totality you'll better off just enjoying yourself and leaving the rest to the pros.

Well, they were impressed enough to give you a few hundred dollars. Thats more than I got so far. Appearantly there is a group of about 25 whales who liked your Valerian review and the eclipse post. So keep it coming.

All you need to do now is, to go to your wallet page and click "redeem rewards", then the money gets booked into your wallet. Partly as Steem (Steem Power) and partly as Steem Dollars (SBD).
This is important, because thats how you build up your own voting power, so your upvote is also worth something.
Keep in mind, this is not about toy money.

What, I like toy money! I used to play with it a lot as a kid, and there was never inflation.

That's an interesting name for them, whales. Honestly, I'd rather have people buying my books than upvoting me -- but on the other hand, if it amounts for me making money for my writing, it's all leading me in the same eventual direction. I'll have to get a few more posts out before I go away again for two weeks in September.

Yeah, minnows, dolphins and whales, thats how the classes here are called. Perhaps you have seen those terms being used in posts here.

Well, if people upvote you post, its basically like buying your book. Ok, the money is not coming out of their pocket, and its not a complete book. But it means they like your work, and perhaps they look out for the real books, too.
And lets face it - when was the last time you got 150 bucks for a 1 page film rewiew? Or make that amount during a book signing , after all expenses were payed for?
But your really need to claim your rewards, to get some steempower. And then perhaps give me a few upvotes as well. Its not only for the money (2-300 SP will only mean 4 cents upvotes) but also for the reputation points. You have overtaken me already in those, did you notice? I´m stuggling to get to 52, you are over 53 already. They are also important here, regarding curation and flagging.
And just keep repeating "its not my money I'm giving away, its not my money I'm giving away..." :)

I haven't noticed, actually ... I barely have time to come over here and check for comments, let alone look at anything else. I keep telling myself I'll have some time to dig further into it, then that time never seems to come. But it is nice to think people from here will go over and look at my books, because in the end that's what will make or break my success as a writer.

I'm working on remembering the upvotes, though!

Wao! that was a really nice detailed explanation....

if anyone feels like going to a "Solar Eclipse Watch Party"...(Its a free invite).. do read this
https://steemit.com/nature/@cutu/invitation-for-a-solar-eclipse-watch-party

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Thanks for reading! And I love your icon.

That picture, makes ZERO SENSE. The first pic, proves the entire story is hogwash. That's some magic sun beams lol. If you buy that diagram, go back to school. Also, please explain how the moon comes in backwards, and covers the sun when it's new, and in the wrong position. Go ahead.

aaaah! u seem to be smart..i didnt even notice that...hehhe
if anyone feels like going to a "Solar Eclipse Watch Party"...(Its a free invite).. do read this
https://steemit.com/nature/@cutu/invitation-for-a-solar-eclipse-watch-party

Hope you had fun! We drove into the totality and watched it from a state park in Missouri.

Ah, sometimes I forget that just because I write a humor column doesn't mean that everyone will recognize that it's a humor column. Still, I suppose the first illustration does a good enough job of explaining the basic premise to its primary audience, which for all I know may have been second graders. "Totality With Dick and Jane!"

While I do enjoy these astronomical phenomenons, I wanted to ask a couple of questions.

On one hand we are taught that light rays travel perpendicularly towards earth, but when the eclipse model is drawn, they are shown diagonal?

When we move an object closer to the source of the light, the shadow (umbra) grows bigger. Whereas, in the eclipse model, it grows smaller?

I suspect the illustrator was just trying to get out the basic concept of where the shadow would be, and why it's there. I suppose you could make the argument that a sun ray could beam out from the sun's pole and head somewhere other than straight out ... like little flashlights, maybe the ones they advertise on late night TV that can survive anything. But I'm just a humorist--I gave up on my science dreams when I realized how much math would be involved.

Honestly, I threw that in there just for fun, and it never occurred to me that anyone would take it as a serious scientific illustration.

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