this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2024
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I Thought About Making Travel Plans for the Eclipse—Then I Had a Realization. (slate.com)
submitted 4 months ago by hedge@beehaw.org to c/science@beehaw.org
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[–] Lemmeenym@lemm.ee 14 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Honestly, I don't get it. I saw the total eclipse in '17 and I've seen a couple of partial eclipses and they weren't particularly exciting. I live about 10 min outside of the total eclipse path and I'm not even sure I'm going to walk outside for it. What am I missing? Why are people spending thousands of dollars to see it?

[–] criitz@reddthat.com 15 points 4 months ago

Totality is the coolest thing I've seen

[–] The_Sasswagon@beehaw.org 8 points 4 months ago

I am not traveling to go see this one, but did for the one that went across the US a few years ago. I thought it was really cool and would go again if it weren't so far away. The way the hot Tennessee day got so much cooler, the way the evening bugs came out, the birds stopped singing, the shadows looking like they had a bite out of them, all together with being able to see the suns corona for a couple minutes made for a really really cool experience for me. It was also a big party/camping trip with friends so that helped too.

I could see it not having that impact for everyone, but I figured I'd share.

[–] MaxHardwood@lemmy.ca 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The duration of the total eclipse is going to be about 4 minutes which is going to make it rather a unique experience.

[–] jarfil@beehaw.org 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Fun fact: the Sun is 8.3 light-minutes away from Earth, so the eclipse will start with light that left the Sun 8 minutes earlier, and end with light that left it 4 minutes before the eclipse.

If someone were to stand on Earth and send a signal to the Sun saying "hey, the eclipse is starting!"... it wouldn't reach the Sun until 4 minutes after it already ended.

(Edit: typo)

[–] MaxHardwood@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Light is a constant and there isn't gravitational lensing between the Earth and Sun. Any light from the Sun always reaches us at the same speed of roughly 8 minutes

[–] jarfil@beehaw.org 1 points 4 months ago

That's what I said (minus a typo).

(to nitpick however... there is some effect on the timing depending on how the planets align... wonder how a Moon right on its path impacted it)

[–] hedge@beehaw.org 3 points 4 months ago

Thank you.