While lots of people have seen at least one eclipse in their lifetime, many don’t know about the science behind them.As with all things in nature, proper scientific research can unveil a lot of facts. Solar eclipses are no exception to this rule.A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon comes in between the Sun and the Earth, thereby blocking sunlight. For people on Earth, it seems like the Sun has disappeared and only left a thin circle of light behind.Solar eclipses have been occurring throughout history, although records at our disposal only talk about a few important ones in recent and ancient history. One such eclipse is the one that took place on November 30, 1776. This was a total solar eclipse, which is believed to have been the greatest of the era. To learn more solar eclipse facts, keep reading!If you enjoy reading this article, why not also check out some fun facts about when a solar eclipse occurs on Earth and the 1978 solar eclipse here at Kidadl!Longest Solar Eclipse In HistorySolar eclipses are often thought of as rare events, even though they are not. Solar eclipses occur when the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun and blocks the sunlight that reaches us. This casts a shadow on the Sun. What we can see as residents of planet Earth is merely the outline of the Sun.According to experts, this phenomenon is not rare at all. However, there are certain types of solar eclipses that people do not usually get to see very easily. As long as we are only using the general term and are not talking about a specific type of eclipse, scientific research has found out that some part of the Earth experiences some form of a solar eclipse every 18 months or so. This means that, if people have a passion for chasing solar eclipses and have the resources to see them safely, anyone can catch a glimpse of many solar eclipses throughout their lifetime.The longest solar eclipse in history is hard to pinpoint. This is because we do not have sufficient or reliable data regarding the eclipses of the past. Hence, according to the data that we have gathered from when humans were in a position to record such events, the longest total solar eclipse took place in 1955. This powerful solar eclipse passed directly over the Philippines and was a thrilling sight for many. This solar eclipse is said to have continued for a period of seven minutes and 28 seconds! Although this might seem to be quite a short duration, it is quite long in terms of the general standards of solar eclipses. At the same time, it must also be noted that a person located at the centerline of the trajectory of the solar eclipse gets to experience the sight for a little longer than the other people (if the weather cooperates, that is). Hence, even though the entire eclipse lasted for a period of little over seven minutes, the average person would only have had a couple of seconds to watch this miraculous sight!There have been quite a few other solar eclipses that have gained popularity over the years. The Great American Solar Eclipse is known to have been one such event for which people traveled far and wide. Everybody wanted to have the opportunity to look at the eclipsed Sun for a little while longer. This took place rather recently: in August 2017. It lasted for a period of around two minutes and 40 seconds, which was considerably shorter than the 1955 eclipse.Solar eclipse predictions often also turn out to have religious and political sentiments attached to them. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death is said to have been marked with a total eclipse. In Islam, on the other hand, many believe that Mohammed’s birth was marked with the Sun being shadowed by the Moon.Even in ancient times, solar eclipses were recorded. However, the connotations that were associated with them were quite different. The darkness brought about by an eclipse was thought of as a bad omen. Whenever an astronomer would predict that the sky would be darkened as the Moon shadowed the Sun, the residing power structure (like the king or leading political group) would assume that there would be a sudden downfall.Although astronomy and science would hardly back this up, there were even some speculations that the eclipse in the year 1918 was a sign that the world would face dark times. The speculation was further supported when the Spanish flu pandemic broke out during the same year, killing millions around the world.What is the rarest type of solar eclipse?Hybrid solar eclipses are the rarest among all types of eclipses. They are considered rare since they occur only once in every decade or two!In a hybrid solar eclipse, the event starts either as an annular or total solar eclipse and eventually transitions into the other.What are the four types of solar eclipses?There are four types of solar eclipses, even though this is something that is not talked of often.The four types are annular, partial, total, and hybrid. Scientists have defined each of these eclipses in terms of which part of the Sun is visible and how the transitions occur in terms of the light that we see from Earth.The most popular type is the total solar eclipse. In this type of eclipse, the Sun is completely blocked by the Moon. This kind of solar eclipse can only be observed along a certain path, and any adjacent places will only be able to observe a partial solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse is generally rare, and it can be quite difficult for anyone to be present in the exact spots that have access to an accurate sight of one. The darkness that spreads when the Sun is completely covered is quite captivating. Although, in order to enjoy such an event, proper gear must be available. Looking directly at an eclipsed sun can cause permanent damage to human eyes!The second type is an annular solar eclipse. In this type, the face of the Sun is not completely covered by the Moon, and so there is less darkness. Even if the Moon is right in front of the Sun, the entire surface will not be covered. This happens because the orbit in which the Moon circles is in an elliptical shape. In such cases, when the Moon is in the middle but is still at a large distance from the Sun, there is a bright light around the outline of the Moon. The term that an astronomer would use for this bright ring is a ring of fire. The event is quite eye-catching.The next type is a partial solar eclipse, during which the Moon does not cover the entire surface of the Sun since it isn’t positioned correctly.The last kind of solar eclipse is the hybrid type. This is the most amazing type since it is an amalgamation of a total and annular eclipse. The duration of this eclipse is not affected by the switch between types.How long does a solar eclipse last?Science is yet to put a finger on the average duration for which an eclipsed sun should be visible. This is because each year, the position of these heavenly bodies changes. Although there may be some predictions regarding the duration, there can be no decided average. One solar eclipse can be visible for a matter of minutes, while another may only last for a couple of seconds.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘1776 solar eclipse facts for the budding astronomer in you’ then why not take a look at ‘1979 total eclipse’, or ‘1997 Miami tornado’?
While lots of people have seen at least one eclipse in their lifetime, many don’t know about the science behind them.
