Summer Solar Eclipse

Summer Solar Eclipse across the USA

On the 21st August 2017 millions of those in North America will be treated to the first total solar eclipse for 99 years.

What is a solar eclipse?

It takes the moon, sun and earth to be aligned perfectly around the time of a new moon for a solar eclipse to occur.

If you are in the dark band on this map, you will see the moon completely cover the sun.

This will allow you to see the sun’s corona and chromosphere (the two outer most layers of it’s atmosphere)

The corona is the outer atmosphere of the sun and is made of gas. During a solar eclipse, the moon blocks the face of the sun and you will see the corona as a white halo around the sun.

Just below the corona lies the chromosphere, a thin layer of the sun’s atmosphere. It looks like a crimson ring around the edge of the sun.

What happens on earth during a solar eclipse?

Light disappears during a solar eclipse, the temperature drops and plants and animals respond as if night is falling.

Things to remember during a solar eclipse

Protect your eyes with eclipse glasses. Never look directly at the sun as the sun’s ultra violet radiation can damage the retinas in your eyes. This could lead to permanent damage or blindness.

If you want to find out more about the solar eclipse on 21st August 2017, you might want to have a look at the NASA website or even look at a copy of this book.