On 8th April 2024, over many parts of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, a total solar eclipse will occur that will be different than the rest of the partial eclipses from the last seven years.
First, what is the difference between partial and total eclipses, and why should they be observed? Let’s dive into essential Solar Physics!
Solar Eclipse: A rare celestial alignment of the Sun and Moon
Solar eclipse is a phenomenon in which the Moon comes in between the Earth and Sun from the Earth’s point of view. This occurs in some parts of the world at a time. Only a fraction of the Sun is hidden behind the Moon when a partial solar eclipse occurs. In a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun.
Sun mathematics of total solar eclipse
The distance between the Earth and the Sun is four hundred times that between Earth and Moon. Also, the Sun is four hundred times wider than the Moon. Because of this, the Sun and Moon look the same size when seen from the Earth.
When a total solar eclipse occurs, the Moon completely hides the Sun. However, there is something else behind this mathematics. The diameter of the Moon and Sun is not precisely 1/400 by ratio; the Moon is slightly smaller than the Sun.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Sun is slightly visible behind the Moon as a “Ring of Fire”. Besides being a treat to the sight, this so-called ring of fire is significant in studying Sun’s corona (Sun’s outermost layer).
Studying Sun through its Corona
The Sun is made up of the fusion of Helium and Hydrogen gases. This, in turn, creates a plasma, which is the current of charged particles that escape the atom and are in constant motion concerning each other. The Sun’s outermost layer is what we call the “corona.” This layer contains a considerable amount of plasma, which is under the consideration of many scientists and researchers worldwide who want to study the behavior and effect of the Sun units’ plasma on Earth.
When total solar eclipses occur, it benefits scientists to closely observe the Sun’s corona because that is when only the corona is visible on the Earth.
Solar observatories or telescopes
Many observatories worldwide study the Sun’s plasma physics with the help of advanced solar telescopes that aim to provide accurate data of Sun’s activities throughout the year. Although they work the whole year, the best they can perform yearly is when there is a total solar eclipse. It is a massive opportunity for scientific enthusiasts to observe the Sun’s corona more accurately. At the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), NASA previously provided a lot of data on solar activity throughout each solar cycle.
What is a solar cycle?
The Sun completes its solar cycle every 11 years. So far, 24 solar cycles have been completed. The record-keeping began in 1755. Currently, we are in the 25th solar cycle. The solar cycle is the period in which we calculate every activity of the Sun. From Sunspot numbers (dark spots on the Sun cooler temperatures) to solar wind activity (constant streams of charged particles and magnetic fields), this is calculated for a complete eleven years.
Throughout these eleven years of the cycle, the Sun has some years when its activity is less than average. This is known as “solar minimum”. And when the Sun’s activity is recorded higher than average, it is known as “solar maximum”. Solar maximum is the time when it is very beneficial for us to observe and study the Sun precisely. As of 2024, this is the year of solar maximum for the 25th solar cycle.
Total solar eclipse in 2017
The last total solar eclipse that occurred was in 2017, August 21. It happened in many states of the U.S., throwing a shadow of the Moon. If we talk about solar eclipses in Pakistan, the following data could be considered:
Solar eclipses in Pakistan
The partial solar eclipse was observed in Pakistan on 26 December 2019. This was the last solar eclipse of that year. Another partial solar eclipse happened on June 21, 2020. The previous observed solar eclipse in Pakistan was on 26 October 2022, which was also partial, with almost 40% coverage of the Sun; it lasted for around two hours.
Why are total solar eclipses so important to scientists?
Only its corona is visible when the Moon completely hides the Sun, which helps scientists study its sphere more clearly. This corona is otherwise too difficult to see because of the brightness of the Sun. Sun sun’sSun’sna is crucial in studying solar physics because it contains all the essential elements necessary to understand the Sun. Sun plasma constantly ejaculates from the Sun through solar flares and solar winds situated in the corona, which then comes to Earth, interacts with Earth’s magnetic field, and creates geomagnetic storms. These storms can be predicted if we study corona more carefully.
Why is the 2024 total solar eclipse important, and how is it different from the 2017 total solar eclipse?
This year’s total solar eclipse is different from the last total solar eclipse in 2017 in two ways. First, in 2017, the Moon was a bit farther from Earth than in 2024, meaning the eclipse will be longer.
Second, on April 8, 2024, the Sun be at its maximum activity, known as solar maximum. Massive eruptions, like Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), could be visible this year.
“If we get lucky, a CME will present itself as a twisted, spiral-like structure, high in the atmosphere in the sun,” Ryan French, a solar physicist at the National Solar Observatory in Boulder, Colorado, told Space.com.
CMEs are plasma and Sun’s magnetic field combined. According to the French, solar flares would also be visible. Solar flares are bursts of radio waves, gamma rays, x-rays, and visible rays from the Sun.
The April 2024 Eclipse
The eclipse will be visible in many U.S. regions, some parts of Mexico and Canada. It will begin from Mexico’s Pacific coast around 11:07 am PDT (11:07 pm PST). Other parts of the world, including Pakistan, will not be able to experience this eclipse, but still they can observe it live virtually from the following link by NASA:
Also, the following map illustrates the locations that will experience the total solar eclipse.
Next Total Solar Eclipse
The next total solar eclipse will occur on 12 August 2026. It will be visible to most parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including Russia, Canada, Greenland, and the U.S. A partial solar eclipse will be visible in Pakistan on 2 August 2027. It would start at around 1500 hours (PST) and end at 1600 hours. The maximum eclipse will be observed in Karachi with 29.5% obscuration.
For details, check https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/pakistan?iso=20270802.
Although this year’s total eclipse of the Sun will not be visible to Pakistan and many other parts of the world, it is still a massive opportunity for researchers residing in the U.S. and its nearby countries to observe and study it.
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Riza Siddiqui is an Astrophysicist who completed her BS at the University of Karachi. Her interest in diving deep into scientific research has led her to write and promote scientific content through Scientia. Besides writing, she enjoys spending time with children.
