The second solar eclipse of the year happened this morning, as seen only by folks living in southern Africa and Antarctica. The sun looks like the moon took a bite out of it. The partial solar eclipse kicks off September’s stunning line-up of astronomical events.
SOLAR ECLIPSE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, AT THE RIGHT TIME
The solar eclipse was visible in the sky to those in the southern part of Africa, including people in South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. People living in Antarctica also got a chance to see the stunning view. According to NASA, about 80 percent of the sun was covered during this partial solar eclipse. NASA mapped out who could see the eclipse and the best times to see it here. While the view was isolated to only people lucky enough to live in those areas, livestreams and photos allowed anyone to catch the astronomical event.
Photos live-tweeted of the solar eclipse:
https://twitter.com/EpicCosmos/status/642935168936767488/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Astroguyz/status/643046369406513152/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/ObservingSpace/status/642999501095997440/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/LeslieJamesRose/status/642967719139258368/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/uastronomer/status/642927707903258625/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
WHY PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AND NOT TOTAL?
About 35% of all solar eclipses are partial solar eclipses. They happen when the moon comes between the sun and the earth. As the Moon passes in retrograde orbit, which is opposite of the Earth’s direction on its somewhat elliptical orbit, the sunlight traveling through space is prevented from reaching Earth by the Moon’s North-American-sized crust. Some of the sunlight is absorbed, barely heating the bodies’ surface, but most is reflected right back out into that dark abyss we’ve come to call space. However, they aren’t perfectly aligned in a straight line. Because of this, the moon only partially covers the sun’s disc. Unlike total and annular solar eclipses, the moon does not have to be at its perigee or apogee for a partial solar eclipse to take place.
SEPTEMBER’S NEXT ASTRONOMICAL EVENT
Both a lunar eclipse and a supermoon will occur at the same time on September 27-28. The moon will be the darkest and lightest it has been all year on the same night, making it a rare event that won’t occur again until 2033. Stargazers and astronomers alike anticipate a spectacular sight. The next solar eclipse will happen on March 9, 2016. This eclipse will be visible in Asia, Australia and the Pacific.
