An eye watering, spectacular, once in a lifetime wonder, a solar eclipse struck the sky on Saturday October 14, 2023. The 2023 solar eclipse was visible in the United States, Canada and parts of western Africa. In Maryland, a partial eclipse was visible at 11:54 am EDT.
NASA has a detailed explanation of what a solar eclipse is.
“Solar eclipses occur when the Sun, Moon and Earth line up, either fully or partially. Depending on how they align, eclipses provide a unique, exciting view of either the Sun or the Moon.”
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves in front of the Sun, creating a shadow on Earth that can completely or partially obscure the Sun’s light in specific regions. This phenomenon is relatively rare because the Moon’s orbit is not perfectly aligned with that of the Sun and Earth. When these celestial bodies are in alignment, it marks the occurrence of an eclipse season, which takes place twice a year.
“A solar eclipse has a beautiful aesthetic, it looks like a dark circular object with a very contrasting bright ring of light surrounding it,” junior Max Ryon explained.
KCEN, a weather reporting company, has reported the visual details of an Eclipse.
“An annular eclipse, also known as a ring of fire eclipse, occurs when the moon is at or near its farthest point from Earth when it passes in front of the sun and does not quite cover the entire sun. The result? The edges of the sun peek out from behind the moon, making it look like a ring of fire in the sky.”
The ring of fire eclipse is fantastic to look at, but students should take precautions when observing such a bright phenomena.
“I know you have to wear special glasses to protect your eyes from the rays emitted,” junior Adrian Okomo said.
An expert’s opinion is typically needed when following safety precautions. NASA went in depth on safety hazards involved. “It is dangerous to gaze directly at the Sun unless you have appropriate eye protection designed for observing the Sun. Attempting to view any portion of the Sun’s intense light through a camera, binoculars, or telescope without using a specialized solar filter placed over the front of these optical devices can result in immediate and serious eye damage.”
Missing a solar eclipse can be disappointing, don’t worry there will be Another solar eclipse striking the sky, April 8,2024 at 2:05pm EDT an almost full solar eclipse, put the viewing time in one’s calendar. Marriotts Ridge students were excited to see such an extraordinary eclipse, a rare event. The solar eclipse is a wonderful experience for young children, teens and adults.