The Solar Eclipse: From an Ancient Mystery to a Modern Scientific Spectacle

Did you know? Eclipses were once considered cosmic omens that predicted catastrophic events such as the death of a king. The ancient Greek poet, Archilochus, spoke of the total solar eclipse of 6 April 647 B.C.E. in dramatic terms:

“There is nothing beyond hope, nothing that can be sworn impossible, nothing wonderful, since Zeus, father of the Olympians, made night from mid-day, hiding the light of the shining Sun, and sore fear came upon men.”

Throughout ancient history, solar eclipses were, by all accounts, events of holy or mythical doing. We can thank early scientists, astronomers, and engineers for our first scientific explanations of solar eclipses.

Scientific understandings of solar eclipses are thought to have emerged sometime between the 17^th and 19^th centuries. The solar eclipse of July 8, 1842, allowed English astronomer, Francis Baily, to observe the eclipse and determine the visible solar corona as part of the Sun’s atmosphere. The term, ‘Baily’s beads’, can also be attributed to Francis Baily’s observation that the visible beads of light when the moon covers the sun during a solar eclipse were due to the rugged topography of the moon’s surface.

Many other scientific discoveries have been made during solar eclipses, including verifying Einstein’s theory of General Relativity.

The April 8^th solar eclipse will allow parts of Ontario to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event of a total solar eclipse. In Ontario, the eclipse will start around 2 p.m. EST and end around 4:30 p.m., with maximum coverage around 3:20 p.m. The eclipse will be visible from Mexico, the United States and Canada, but only a select few cities will be able to view the totality of the eclipse including Kingston, Montreal, Niagara Falls and Hamilton.  Check out the Canada Space Agency for details on the path of the eclipse.

However, it is crucially important to remember looking directly into the sun, even when it is eclipsed, can cause severe eye damage. To view the eclipse, you must wear approved glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2: 2015 Standard. An approved list of glasses can be found here. Be wary of online counterfeit options.

Alternatively, several universities, municipalities, and Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) Centres across Ontario are distributing glasses and hosting safe viewing events open to the public. Details of events can be found here.

Happy eclipse viewing and make sure you are prepared for this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle!