When day turns to night: a Young Mensan explains the eclipse
- Young Mensan Lauren A.
A solar eclipse forms when the moon’s diameter appears to cover the diameter of the sun. Because the moon is much closer to the Earth, its diameter appears larger than if it was close to the Earth.
On the flip side, the sun is much farther away from the Earth than the moon, so its diameter is much smaller than if it was far away.
When the moon and sun line up just right, the moon appears to block out the sun and creates the phenomenon known as a solar eclipse. Eclipses are actually quite common, but a total eclipse is rare. During a total eclipse, the moon completely blocks out the sun, while the sun is only blocked out partially during a partial eclipse.
The upcoming eclipse provides a unique opportunity for a lucky few because it will be easily viewed by everyone in North America. With 14 states being able to see the total eclipse and all other states being able to see a partial eclipse, the Aug. 21 eclipse is still greatly accessible compared to other eclipses.
I would love the opportunity to view the total eclipse. Even though the longest time the total eclipse can be viewed is less than three minutes, the sight of a total eclipse would be unlike anything else I've seen, and for those few minutes, the sight will be awe-inspiring.
— Lauren A., Lone Star Mensa