Why People Should Not Take a Picture of the Eclipse
There are a couple reasons why you shouldn’t take a picture of a solar eclipse. First, everyone can’t look directly in the sun too long or else they’ll go blind. Same with everyone’s phone; people can’t point it directly at the sun or the phone might not work anymore. NASA has also confirmed, if people point phones towards the sun, it could damage that device’s image sensor.
In order to take a picture, everyone would have to hold a pair of solar eclipse sunglasses in front of your phone. That is why NASA warns against taking photos with phones.
Why People Can’t Look Directly at the Solar Eclipse Without Eclipse Glasses
Looking directly into the sun during the solar eclipse may damage everyone’s eyes and could permanently injure people’s eyes. That is why special glasses are needed. Additionally, everyone can’t constantly look at it when the solar eclipse is happening. Looking for too long could burn through the lens of the glasses. Furthermore, looking at it for a long time even with the glasses on, puts a lot of strain on the eyes.
What Time the Eclipse Started
The eclipse starting and ending time depends on the location of it’s direction. The moon’s position between the Earth and sun casts a shadow or umbra on North America caused the solar eclipse on April 8. That shadow traveled along the surface from west to east at more than 1,500 miles per hour along the path of totality.
Some places along the path had more totality time than others. The total solar eclipse emerged over the South Pacific Ocean before the shadow fell across North America, beginning in parts of Mexico.
The Longest Eclipse
Previously, the longest eclipse totality was seven minutes and 28 seconds in 743 B.C. That record was broken by one second; seven minutes and 29 seconds. The next visible eclipse that will be visible in some parts of the U.S. will be in 2044.
What the Eclipse is
There are two types of eclipses: lunar and solar. A solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the earth and sun blocking everyone’s view of the sun. When it’s blocking the entire sun, it’s called a total eclipse otherwise it is considered a partial.
The time when they are aligned is known as eclipse season, which happens twice a year. Furthermore, there are three types of solar eclipses: annular, partial, and hybrid.
Lunar eclipses happen when the moon is full and the Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and Sun. When the Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon it dims it’s light. Sometimes a lunar eclipse turns the moon’s surface a striking red over the course of a few hours.
When you Might See the Next Total Eclipse
Depending on the city and state people are in, they could see one in the next 10 years. But it all depends on the location. For example, in Chicago Illinois, people won’t see the next eclipse until 2099; which is a long time from now. However, for other states and cities it could be very different.
Why the Eclipse is so Interesting
The eclipse is so interesting because a total solar eclipse doesn’t happen too often. So, it’s very rare for people to even see it. It’s even more rare for it to happen in someone’s city. Seeing the sun covered completely is very interesting to witness, because many people don’t get to see it very often.
The Difference Between the Path of Totality and Peak Totality
The difference is not really that complex. A peak totality is when the moon is covering most or all of the sunlight. So, it gets dark and starts to look darker in the sky. The path of totality is basically where it going to appear. For example, if someone said New York City is in the path of totality.
What This All Means
NASA warns against taking photos of the solar eclipse with the smartphone, due to the extremely high risk of losing vision permanently. The eclipse is extremely powerful. Therefore, being careful is of upmost importance. Lastly, a total eclipse is a rare sight to behold.
Written by Demyer Anthony
Sources:
PC Mag: NASA Warns Against Taking Eclipse Photos With Your Smartphone
TRA: Why You Shouldn’t Point Your Smartphone Camera Directly at the Sun During Today’s Solar Eclipse, According to NASA
CBS: What time the 2024 solar eclipse started, reached peak totality and ended
Inset image courtesy of Takeshi Kubok’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Featured image courtesy of Kenneth Hagemeyer Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
