Solar eclipse in April. You will see them when you go up high

April is a special month for lovers of astronomical phenomena. There will be a total solar eclipse on April 8. It seems that we will not be able to see it in Poland, as I wrote about it myself. However, a short conversation with an expert suggests a possibility.

A solar eclipse, especially a total eclipse, is an absolutely amazing phenomenon. We can then contemplate for a few minutes the solar corona, the part of our daytime star that is usually lost in its glow and unnoticed. Such an eclipse is also an opportunity to see stars that are not visible in the sky at a certain time of the year. Comet observers also rely on observations of the conjugate comet, 12P/Pons-Brooks, which is currently located in the constellation Aries.

This is what a total solar eclipse looks like in its later stages. (Image: NASA)

The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 is best observed from…

However, there is a problem. The eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024 will be clearly visible only from the Western Hemisphere. The total eclipse belt, that is, the region where observing an eclipse makes the most sense (outside this belt it is difficult to count on any spectacular effect of the phenomenon, even in great weather), extends from Mexico across the United States to eastern Canada. This is the place you should go to enjoy this relatively rare phenomenon in all its glory.

A map showing where, according to NASA, the best place to observe the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 (Image: NASA SVS)

It seems that there are no opportunities in Poland, but as it turns out, there is a way to fool nature. It was revealed to us by an unknown expert in the field of eclipses, who experiences it himself every day. Here's his recipe for seeing a solar eclipse even from Poland.

How can a total solar eclipse be seen? You will have to climb high

As you know, a solar eclipse is, in other words, the covering of the Sun's disk by the Moon. Our natural satellite is much smaller than the Sun, but it is much closer to Earth, so it is possible.

The Moon, covering the Sun, casts a conical shadow on the Earth's surface, which moves along its surface, defining the above-mentioned totality belt. Therefore, in theory, we can observe the eclipse for a long time, as long as we manage to move along the total belt at the same speed as the shadow itself. This can be done by flying an airplane, which is also within a wider area, due to it being at a high altitude, because the diameter of the shadow cone decreases as it gets closer to the ground.

Based on this assumption, the eclipse expert decided to calculate the extent of the shadow cone's breadth at different distances from the Earth. He came to some surprising conclusions.

If, at the moment of total solar eclipse, we climbed, for example, to the top of a mountain in the Tatras or to the roof of the Warsaw Tower in Warsaw or the Sky Tower in Wrocław, we would be so high that the cone of the shadow there would be so wide that it would not only cover observers in America But also we are in Poland – this is the opinion of the eclipse expert

As you can see, it is not impossible to see the total solar eclipse from Poland, but you will have to make some physical effort. It is best not to use the ski lift in the mountains or the lift in the building. Then the effect can be guaranteed even despite bad weather, because fatigue can make our eyes dark.

In the mountains we are closer to the sky and the sun, so it's no wonder we can see them better from there.

The desire to see a total eclipse does not, of course, absolve us of responsibility. We don't go to the mountains unless we are properly prepared. Climbing to the top of a skyscraper may require permission from a building official.

If you get to the end of the text and something doesn't suit you, you're 100% right. Naturally, the described eclipse will not be visible in Poland – information about its visibility in our country is an April Fool's Day joke.

Source: information. king