Americans recently had the privilege of witnessing a solar eclipse, a phenomenon that doesn't occur frequently. The last notable eclipse, known as the 'Great American Eclipse,' took place in 2017, stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. Such events are rare and won't happen again until the 2040s.
According to Dr. John Mulchaey from the Carnegie Institution for Science, eclipses are infrequent occurrences, with an average of once every 375 years in the same location. This rarity makes witnessing a total eclipse on Earth a unique and special experience.
While eclipses are observed in various parts of the solar system, none are quite like those seen from Earth. The alignment of the moon, which is significantly smaller than the sun but also much closer to Earth, creates a stunning visual effect during an eclipse. This alignment, known as syzygy, occurs when the three celestial bodies - the sun, moon, and Earth - line up in space.
Dr. Mulchaey explained that in the distant past, when the moon was closer to Earth, the appearance of totality during an eclipse would have been different. Looking ahead, in approximately 60 million years, the moon will move so far away from Earth that it will no longer be able to completely cover the sun during an eclipse, making the current era a unique period to witness this celestial event.
