Tech Byte – Solar Eclipse of the Heart
Chief Meteorologist Austen Onek explains solar phenomenon is nothing to worry about
CHATANOOGA, TN –
In some ancient and even some modern cultures, solar eclipses were viewed as bad omens or attributed to supernatural intervention.
The tracking of solar eclipses goes all the way back to astronomers in fourth century BC China. With Todays Technology, we can now predict accurately when we’re going to see them hundreds of years from now.
Today we are joined by fellow Eagle Scout, Astronomy Merit Badge and Weather Merit Badge Holder, AND News 12 Chief Meteorologist Austen Onek.
In ancient Chinese cultures people believe that a solar eclipse was a dragon eating the sun or would predict the death of kings, but according to Austen there isn’t much to worry about.
“Lots of cultures it was a very bad omen to have something like that happen. When something like that shows up and nobody knew it was coming,” says Onek. “It’s a very scary thing when you don’t know what it is. But now science and astronomy allow us to predict these things and it’s a very glorious amazing event and it’s nothing to be afraid of.”
But what exactly is a Solar Eclipse?
“An eclipse is where a celestial body like the moon or the earth goes between two objects. We had a lunar eclipse about a month ago where the Earth went between the sun and the moon. So the earths shadow got cast on to the moons surface. Now we’re reversing that so the moon is between the earth and the sun. And the shadow of the moon will be cast on the earth and it’ll block out the entirety of the solar surface as a total solar eclipse. And there will be a total shadow cast across the earth, about as big as what we saw back in 2017” says Onek.
Due to the intensity of the sun, you will need special glasses to view this phenomenon. Even if you’re a photographer, you’ll need a special set of filters in order to view it thru your cameras viewfinder and not damage your equipment.
Austen tells us “The sun is the brightest celestial object in our sky. And it’s so energetic and so powerful that the lenses that we use in our eyeballs focus the image for our brains to be able to pick up, or if we use a magnifying glass to focus the rays to start a campfire. That is just shows you how powerful that is, and you need a powerful filter to protect yourself. Even during an eclipse when the moon moves in front of the surface it’s still the brightest thing out there. So, you might be able to look at it for maybe a few seconds more than if you just glanced at it but even that is not safe. You want to protect your eyes because if they get damaged you have to carry that damage with you for the rest of your life.”
If you can’t find any glasses before Monday, you can check your local hardware store or your local welding supply store. Onek says you need at least grade 14 or higher to be able to view the eclipse.
“Enjoy it, this is an amazing cosmic phenomenon that only happens a few times around with the earth spinning and the moon and the sun in the right position we get several solar eclipses per year but this is one that is right on top of us and we’re able to experience it,” says Onek. “It’s just a wonderful event to get out and take a look at. Introduce your kids to astronomy, little bit of science in this for everyone to pick up on it’s a very cool event so enjoy it while it lasts. Because the next one, next solar eclipse for our area doesn’t come around until about 2046.”
As we always say, please be prepared and enjoy this Mondays eclipse. Take your kids out, let them learn, help them get their merit badges in Astronomy and Weather because you never know who the next great Chief Meteorologist could be.
