Blinded by the Light
Photo by Jongsun Lee on Unsplash
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is
Manfred Mann's Earth Band (lyrics by Bruce Springsteen)
Today’s science topic is the total eclipse of the Sun that will effect parts of North America this Monday, April 8, 2024.
For your own safety, please do not stare directly into this newsletter.
I get a little confused about the science, but as I understand it, a total solar eclipse happens when the Moon steps outside, sees its shadow, and we have six more weeks of winter.
Either that, or maybe the Moon rudely passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun and, weather permitting, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, becomes visible.
There are all kinds of eclipses other than total solar eclipses; annular solar eclipses when the Moon is farther from Earth and cannot completely block the Sun, partial solar eclipses when Earth, the Moon and the Sun are imperfectly aligned, lunar eclipses when Earth gets between the Moon and the Sun, and total eclipses of the heart, when Bonnie Tyler gets between Earth and the Sun.
The eclipse path of totality will pass across a wide territory from central Mexico to Newfoundland, Canada, including 13 U.S. states, and will be one of the few times you might hear people say “Boy, am I glad I live in Buffalo.”
Even if not in the path of totality, much of the Sun’s light will be blocked out in a large part of the United States.
Compared to the last total solar eclipse affecting the United States in 2017, the Moon is closer to the Earth and its shadow will be larger making the path of totality during this total solar eclipse much wider.
What I find odd (both now and with each solar eclipse) is that we have had weeks of buildup, excitement and discussion about this potentially once in a lifetime not-to-miss opportunity to see this incredible cosmic phenomenon but are told … “don’t look!”
Not don’t look at all. But look only if you wear special eclipse glasses from a reputable source or the Sun’s light can cause permanent eye damage, with the Sun in the role of that creepy kid next door with a magnifying glass and your eyes in the role of the poor insects that crossed his path.
It is like when I am driving and my wife exclaims “What an incredible view! But eyes on the road, don’t look!”
Of course, with a lead in like that, I want to look!
The same with solar eclipses; many people react to the dire warnings by wanting to look even more (while brave lads like myself instead cower inside under the covers until the Sun comes back out).
Similarly, every year, notwithstanding countless warnings, tourists get scalded sticking their hands in the piping hot water springs at Yellowstone National Park, and more than 20 people have died from falling or jumping in.
Supposedly, people have ignored warnings at the National Aquarium and put their hands in the piranha tank. Really?
The opposite holds true when we are told we should do something. Vaccines. Yeah, I went there.
What is it about human nature (or is it just American human nature) that makes us want to do what we are told we cannot do and not want to do what we are told we must or should do?
Maybe we have to tell people that they should do what is bad for them to do and should not do what is good for them to do.
Yet, for all the hokeyness and hype, for many of us, anticipating and watching (sort of - - don’t look!) a solar eclipse is one of our few community-wide shared experiences.
It is similar to how all kinds of people who would not normally interact at all come together during a blackout.
We all live in our bubbles: political bubbles, racial/ethnic bubbles, religious bubbles, Mets/Yankees bubbles, etc. Not so bad to step out and risk permanent blindness together.
In any event, if you have been too busy tearing your hair out over the demise of your March Madness brackets to follow all the latest scientific news, here is the “elite eight” of total solar eclipse information and all that one could possibly need to know.
Don’t look! Don’t think of looking! Don’t even peek! Unless you are wearing your special glasses (and not just your Joe Biden Ray Bans)! In biblical times, Lot’s wife followed the path of totality to Sodom and Gomorrah, looked at a solar eclipse without glasses and turned into a pillar of salt. True story. One caveat is if you were once President of the United States, in which case you can exert executive privilege and feel free to just stare that sucker down. (Luckily, the Sun was wearing its special glasses in 2017 while it looked at former President Trump so the Sun was not harmed.)
For those who do not break into a cold sweat at the words “assembly required,” one can (theoretically) view indirectly by building (ha, yeah, right) a pinhole projector, which with the Sun behind you will project an image of the Sun onto a nearby surface. Of course, then you are kind of missing this whole darn event looking at a reflection on a piece of cardboard and maybe should instead join me inside and watch on TV.
The darkness may make animals think it is bedtime so beware of strange behavior (from the animals, not you). Bees stop buzzing, birds stop whistling and crickets begin chirping. During the 2017 total solar eclipse, scientists observed animals brushing their teeth, flossing and watching late-night television. Some pets may express confusion and try to take you out for a walk.
The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk, there will be a drop in temperature of about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and you may be able to see “cosmic phenomena” such as Venus to the Sun’s bottom-right, Jupiter at the Sun’s upper-left, and the Millennium Falcon making the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs in the middle.
As the sky darkens, light-sensitive cells in human eyes become more sensitive to blue and green hues which will appear brighter, as compared to red and orange hues which will appear to recede, in a phenomenon known as the Purkinje effect, named after a 19th-century Czech scientist or perhaps my seventh grade science teacher. To take advantage of the Purkinje effect, it is suggested that we wear green clothes (perhaps I am confusing this with St. Patricks’ Day so let me get back to you on that).
Many folks are heading to the best vantage points. Already in Buffalo where turning out the lights appears to improve one’s usual daily existence, nearly every hotel room is booked, campgrounds are full and rental cars are all taken. As one local businessman said “The total eclipse, which is a neat experience, is only three minutes long. And then it’s like, ‘OK, you guys want to go get some wings?’” Clearly, on so many levels, Buffalo is the place to be.
Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising! Get your eclipse t-shirts, eclipse decals, eclipse lunchboxes, “eclipse flamethrowers (the kids love this).” What’s a natural phenomenon without a little merchandising!
Total solar eclipses actually occur roughly every 18 months but as Earth rotates, the Moon's shadow on Earth (and the view of the eclipse) travels from west to east, and in any particular location the total solar eclipse is likely to happen only once every roughly 400 years. So, if you miss this one, no big deal.