On April 8 Parts of North America will experience a 99.6 per cent solar eclipse. The visible areas will be determined by the eclipse path of totality.
“An eclipse occurs when the moon covers the sun, creating a shadow on Earth, and if you’re in that shadow, otherwise called the path of totality then you can see the eclipse,” says Jan Cami professor of physics and astronomy at Western University.
Londoners are in luck as the eclipse can be seen from south London, Northern St Thomas, and the Niagara region. “The closer you are to the path of totality, the longer the eclipse lasts so the Northern part of ST Thomas will experience about one minute and the southern part about one minute and a half,”
Cami advises that anyone desiring to look at the eclipse wear eclipse glasses.
“ When you look at the sun the lens in your eye starts focusing all the sunlight onto your retina and starts burning it”
Cami recommends that those with no access to eclipse glasses make a pinhole camera
“ It’s very easy to make you only need two pieces of paper and stick a pin through one of the papers, then with your back to the sun you hold the paper above your shoulder with a second piece of paper below it”
Since it will be 120 years before Londoners will get to see another eclipse, April 8 is the perfect time to enjoy this rare and beautiful phenomenon.
“ In London, the previous total eclipse was in 1925 and the next visible one will be 2144,” says Cami.
Comments