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Author: Gordon Drake
Imagine being in ancient Miletus, where the Greek philosopher Thales ordered the sun to be extinguished.
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It is recorded that he surprised his followers, and was even more surprised when he ordered them to return a few minutes later.
Thales was the first ancient Greek philosopher to make a mark in history, and may have learned the secret of predicting solar eclipses from ancient Egyptian astronomers. This secret gave astronomers great power over believers who believed it to be magic.
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Residents of Essex County and Windsor will soon have the chance to follow in Thales’ magical footsteps with the rare opportunity to witness a total or partial solar eclipse.
This spectacular celestial phenomenon will occur locally on Monday, April 8th between 1:58 PM and 4:27 PM, and will reach everyone by 3:14 PM. Although the eclipse will only occur partially in Windsor, it could last more than two minutes in total for those observing in a small area along the north shore of Lake Erie.
During a solar eclipse, the moon’s shadow moves across the Earth’s surface as it passes between us and the sun. Everyone standing in the shadow will see a solar eclipse. When you look up, you can see the moon completely covering the sun.
A solar eclipse occurs approximately once every 18 months, but the shadow is so narrow that few people are lucky enough to be in it. A solar eclipse is different from a lunar eclipse. Lunar eclipses are visible to everyone on Earth because we all see Earth’s shadow on the same moon.
To create your own “solar eclipse,” remove the lampshade and observe the bright bare bulb. Next, place your fist in front of you at arm’s length so that your fist covers the light bulb. It’s your own little solar eclipse, with your fist playing the role of the moon and the light bulb playing the role of the sun.
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So what’s so special about solar eclipses?
During a solar eclipse, the sky becomes very dark, stars appear, and birds begin to prepare for sleep.
You may also be able to see the solar corona on rare occasions. It is the ring of hot ionized gas that is the sun’s outer atmosphere. The surface of the Sun itself (known as the photosphere) is about a million times brighter, so it is usually invisible. As such, it overwhelms the much darker corona.
You may also see red bumps or flares. These are projections of hot gases into the sun’s lower atmosphere and are visible around the moon’s edge covering the sun. Coronas and prominences are rare phenomena that can only be seen during a total solar eclipse, so don’t miss this rare opportunity on April 8th.
Important notes:
Special dark glasses are required to view the eclipse, but they can be safely removed during the short period of totality. It’s also a great opportunity to take rare photos of the sun’s corona during totality.
Thales was not the only astronomer to observe a solar eclipse of great historical significance. British explorer Captain James Cook measured the distance across the Atlantic by observing a solar eclipse on Newfoundland on August 5, 1776.
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Astronomers in Oxford, England also observed the same solar eclipse, and from that time
That difference allowed them to accurately calculate for the first time the distance across the Atlantic between these two stations.
Then, on May 29, 1919, on Principe Island off the west coast of Africa, Sir Arthur Eddington observed a solar eclipse as a test of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. He observed changes in the apparent positions of stars near the eclipsed Sun, as predicted by Einstein’s theory of relativity. This success quickly catapulted the then-relatively unknown Einstein to worldwide fame, and eventually the theoretical physicist’s name became a household word, synonymous with brilliant and scientific wonders. .
Most people will never see a total solar eclipse in their lifetime. Some people make it their hobby to chase solar eclipses around the world.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to observe a total or partial solar eclipse right in your own backyard.
However, do not look directly at the sun without safety glasses.
Gordon Drake is Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Windsor.
Former Principal of the University of Canterbury, Former President of Universities Canada
Association of Physicists.
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https://windsorstar.com/opinion/letters/guest-column-essex-county-get-ready-for-sky-magic-a-full-solar-eclipse