To experience a solar eclipse is a rare occurrence, but to experience two eclipses in the same geographic region in six months is a once-in-a-lifetime event. This past year, Texans were able to experience an Annular Solar Eclipse in October and a Total Solar Eclipse in April. For both astronomical events, Texas Space Grant hosted events for Texan youths to learn more about how these events occur and how to safely observe them.
Doug Hemingway, an Assistant Research Professor from UT’s Institute for Geophysics, spoke to the campers about the science behind eclipses, safety, and exoplanet transits. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon orbits between the Sun and the Earth. However, this does not mean a solar eclipse occurs every 27 days. The lack of a solar eclipse is because the plane of the moon’s orbit of Earth has a 5-degree tilt in respect to Earth’s orbit with the Sun. For an eclipse to occur, the Sun, Moon, and Earth must be in the same plane and a new moon will have to cross the ecliptic – or the path of the Sun in our daytime sky.
In October, Texans were able to experience the Annular Solar Eclipse. What differentiates an annular solar eclipse is the Moon’s distance to Earth. For an annular solar eclipse to happen, the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth but it will be at or around its farthest point from Earth. Since the Moon is so far away, it will look smaller than the Sun and will not completely cover the Sun. This leads the Moon to look like a dark disk on top of a brighter disk.
In partnership with the Boy Scouts of America, Texas Space Grant helped to host over 1,450 registered participants in the Eclipse events. Texan youths not only experienced their first Eclipses but were also able to witness two balloon launches and meet former astronaut Col. Mike Fossum. The two balloon teams were comprised of undergraduate students from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez and the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico – Bayamon as part of the National Eclipse Balloon Program.
To view community-submitted photos from the events, click here.