There's a thrill in the air, a palpable excitement that sweeps across North America from coast to coast. The reason? Today's solar eclipse, April 8, 2024. A celestial event so special that it makes any other terrestrial spectacle pale in comparison. Millions of people are preparing to witness this rare alignment of sun, moon and earth, ready to immerse themselves in a few minutes of total darkness that promise to unite science, commerce and pure wonder. Sold out hotels, closed schools, millions of people waiting and… hey, how madness breaks out in the USA, nowhere else.
A shadow that crosses the continent
The moon's shadow will touch the Pacific coast of Mexico at 20pm Italian time (07pm GMT), then hurtling northeastward across a band of 15 U.S. states and on toward Canada, exiting the continent onto Newfoundland just under an hour and a half later. The route is 185 kilometers wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with another 150 million living within 320 kilometers of the strip and expected to be traveling en masse for the event. Those who are further away will still be able to enjoy a partial solar eclipse, or follow a streaming (as I will from Italy) provided by NASA.
The solar eclipse, and eclipses more generally, have a special power. They push people to feel a kind of reverence for the beauty of our universe.
Bill nelson, NASA
Solar eclipse, craze rages: festivals, flights and romance
It's like the Superbowl, but in the dark. Businesses are capitalizing on the excitement with special events, while hotels and short-term rentals in prime viewing locations have been fully booked for months. At the park Stonehenge II (Revenge?) in Ingram, Texas, a replica of the prehistoric English structure, gathered solar eclipse watchers from around the world. To Cleveland, where local officials expect about 200.000 visitors, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is planning a four-day “Solarfest” of live music.
In Russellville, in Arkansas, 300 couples will exchange vows in a mass wedding ceremony called “A Total Eclipse of the Heart” (Bonnie Tyler, move over) with “the thin circle of light around the moon resembling a huge wedding ring in the heaven!”, as the event website boasts. Many schools along the route will be closed or letting students out early. Several airlines have advertised flights scheduled to pass under the eclipse, Delta Airlines he even planned two special trips along the path of totality. Ah! And obviously the conspiracies: many. Conspiracies first, or science first? Come on, I'll tell you the conspiracies first.
Repent!!11!!
Conspiracy theories about the 2024 solar eclipse are varied and often based on interpretations of astronomical events or alleged connections with terrestrial events. Some conspiracy theorists have speculated that the European Organization for Nuclear Research (come on, the CERN) will open a dimensional portal during the eclipse. A portal, right. Others, decidedly more moderate, have suggested that the eclipse will mark only the end of the world: with theories involving earthquakes, apocalyptic phenomena, and the need to repent. Still others have speculated that there will be a blackout of all electrical systems during the solar eclipse, but there is no evidence to support this claim. Shall we move on?
Then there's the science
For experiments and research it will be a boon. Really, I think the scientists will have more fun with this round than the conspiracy theorists. NASA plans to launch a trio of sounding rockets before, during and immediately after the eclipse to measure changes caused by the sudden darkness to the ionosphere, an upper layer of the atmosphere important for long-distance radio communications. Other research will also work hard in this small window of time. There are those who (always for scientific purposes) are trying to simulate eclipses, but that's another matter.
The eclipse also offers a golden opportunity to study the crown of the sun, the outer layer of our star's atmosphere that is normally hidden by the blinding light of the surface. Researchers are particularly excited that the sun is near the peak of its 11-year cycle. Surprising animal behavior has been noted during past eclipses: giraffes have been seen galloping, while roosters and crickets may begin to crow and chirp. Ethologists tremble almost like the animals they observe. NASA invited the public to contribute to research through its citizen-science project Eclipse Soundscapes, recording nature sounds and submitting their own multisensory observations.
Watch out for the sun. In fact, don't look
When there is a solar eclipse, safety is fundamental: and even in this case the US authorities underline the need to use certified glasses to prevent retinal injuries. Past eclipses have been followed by increases in hospital visits by people with blurred vision, changes in color perception and blind spots, with recovery prospects far from certain.
Only those in the path of totality can safely remove their eye protection and admire the crown peeking out from behind the silhouette of the moon for a few precious moments: but I wouldn't risk it.
Solar eclipse, beyond everything: an event that unites a continent
Let's leave aside all the circus: the total eclipse represents above all a moment of union and wonder for millions of people. For a few minutes, men and women of all social and cultural backgrounds will look up at the sky, united by their amazement at a spectacle that transcends human differences. In a time of division and conflict, today's solar eclipse is a small reminder. It reminds us that we are all equally small and insignificant in the face of the majesty of the universe.
I wish all those who wonder, in the old and new continents, to carry a little wonder in their hearts even when the sun shines again. Because I have the feeling that the world, even in bright light, doesn't always know where to go.
