US witnesses best solar eclipse in decades

THE sun was there, then it wasn’t, and then it was again.

This spectacular solar eclipse was watched by millions of people across the US on Monday. Gazing skywards, viewers saw the moon pass between Earth and the sun, temporarily blocking its light and leaving a black circle in its place.

A total solar eclipse like this is possible by a quirk of geometry. The sun’s diameter is 400 times that of the moon, but the sun is also 400 times further away from Earth. This means when everything aligns – around once every 18 months – the moon can completely obscure the sun in the sky.

So why all the excitement with this one? Normally, the eclipse is not visible from areas as populated as the US. The best views are often from the middle of an ocean or a desert.

This was different. On Monday, people within a line stretching from Oregon on the west coast to South Carolina on the east were able to see the best eclipse spectacle, including a few minutes of total darkness.

Those outside this area saw a partial blocking of the sun. Even US President Donald Trump was spotted at the White House peering directly at the eclipse, albeit without appropriate eyewear.

If you missed this total eclipse, don’t worry. The next one will happen in July 2019 over Argentina and Chile. People in the US will get another chance to see a total eclipse in 2024, but those in the UK will have to wait until 2090 if they want to observe one on home turf.

This article appeared in print under the headline “Turn it off and on again”