On Monday, April 8, a partial solar eclipse will be visible from Connecticut, reaching its peak at 3:28 p.m. Although only 92% of the sun will be obscured for CT viewers at the event’s height, many in northern New England will experience total darkness along the eclipse’s direct path.
Detailing the effects of a total eclipse, University of Connecticut Assistant Professor in Residence of Physics Matt Guthrie said, “All of the sun is covered by the moon, and you can look at the phenomenon with your naked eye. You’ll be able to see the sun’s corona, which is too dim to see unless during an eclipse event, the surface temperature of the Earth drops considerably, animals start to act strangely, and for about three minutes, it feels like night.”
The last total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. was seven years ago, in August 2017. Though relatively recent, this astronomical occurrence is deceivingly rare, with the previous total eclipse taking place in 1979.
“Total solar eclipses are incredibly rare events for a few reasons,” Guthrie said. “First, from an astronomical perspective, Earth is the only place in the universe we are aware of that has the incredible coincidence that the moon is the exact size in the sky as the sun.”
“They are also rare for people to experience because most of Earth is covered by water. The Earth gets about two solar eclipses per year, but it’s rare that any single person will be living in a place where it’s convenient to see it. Total solar eclipses happen about every 18 months,” Guthrie said.
For those on the UConn Storrs campus, an eclipse viewing event will be hosted by the Physics Department atop Horsebarn Hill on Monday from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. Short of witnessing total darkness, the event will feature a number of activities for eclipse enthusiasts to enjoy.
“We’ll have solar telescopes, a pinhole camera installation, and an activity to make pinhole cameras,” Guthrie said.
Since the sun will not be covered in totality, observers must wear specially tinted glasses to safely observe the eclipse. For those attending the viewing event, the Physics Graduate Student Association will have eclipse glasses available for purchase at $3 per pair.
Though observers in Connecticut will not experience the full breadth of midday darkness, the significance of this year’s eclipse should not be discounted. The next total solar eclipse visible from New England will not be until 2079 – a considerable 55 years from now.