Sound like an knowledgeable with this vocab for the 2017 eclipse.
The April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse will likely be seen throughout a lot of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, with loads of nice locations in the path of totality. Be sure you’re ready to talk and perceive eclipse lingo with this glossary of phrases.
altitude — the angular peak of some extent or celestial object above the horizon measured from 0° (on the horizon) to 90° (on the zenith).
angular diameter — the obvious measurement of a celestial object, measured in levels, minutes, and/or seconds, as seen from Earth; for instance, the typical angular measurement of the Solar and the Moon, as seen from Earth, is 31 arcminutes, or 0.52°.
angular distance — the gap between two celestial our bodies expressed in levels, minutes, and/or seconds of arc.
aphelion — the place of an object in solar orbit when it lies farthest from the Solar.
apogee — the place of the Moon or different object in Earth orbit when it lies farthest from our planet.
azimuth — the angular distance (from 0° to 360°) to an object measured eastward alongside the horizon from north to a line passing by way of the item and at a proper angle to the horizon.
Baily’s beads — throughout a total solar eclipse, the impact seen simply earlier than and simply after totality when just a few factors of daylight are seen on the fringe of the Moon, attributable to the irregularity of the lunar floor.
chromosphere — the area of the Solar’s environment between its photosphere and its corona; generally briefly seen simply earlier than or after totality as an intense pink glow on the Moon’s edge.
centerline — the midpoint of the width of the Moon’s shadow on Earth; the centerline is the placement for the utmost period of totality.
corona — the shell of skinny gasoline that extends out a long way from the Solar’s floor usually seen solely throughout totality.
diamond ring — the impact simply previous to second contact or simply after third contact of a total solar eclipse when a small portion of the Solar’s disk plus its corona produce an impact much like a hoop with an excellent diamond.
disk — the seen floor of any heavenly physique.
ecliptic — the circle described by the Solar’s obvious annual path by way of the celebrities; the aircraft of Earth’s orbit across the Solar.
first contact — throughout a solar eclipse, the second that the Moon makes contact with the Solar; the start of the eclipse.
fourth contact — throughout a solar eclipse, the second that the disk of the Moon breaks contact with the Solar; the tip of the eclipse.
magnitude — the quantity of the Solar’s diameter the Moon covers throughout an eclipse; see obscuration.
New Moon — the phase the place the Moon appears utterly unlit; solar eclipses can happen solely at New Moon.
nodes — concerning solar eclipses, the 2 factors at which the Moon’s orbital aircraft intersects the ecliptic; eclipses can happen solely close to nodes.
obscuration — the quantity of the Solar’s space the Moon covers throughout an eclipse; see magnitude.
penumbra — the much less darkish outer area of the Moon’s shadow; an observer within the penumbra sees a partial solar eclipse.
perigee — the place of the Moon or different object in Earth orbit when it lies closest to our planet.
perihelion — the place of an object in solar orbit when it lies closest to the Solar.
photosphere — the seen floor of the Solar the place it emits gentle.
prominence — a large-scale, gaseous formation above the floor of the Solar often occurring over areas of solar exercise similar to sunspot teams.
Saros cycle — a time interval equal to six,585.3 days between which related eclipses happen.
second contact — throughout a total solar eclipse, the second the Moon covers one hundred pc of the Solar’s disk; the moment totality begins.
shadow bands — faint ripples of sunshine generally seen on flat, gentle–coloured surfaces simply earlier than and simply after totality.
solar flare — a sudden burst of particles (protons, electrons, and so forth.) and electromagnetic vitality from the solar photosphere most frequently seen silhouetted towards space on the fringe of the Solar, though in addition they might be seen towards the Solar’s disk.
solar telescope — a telescope whose design is devoted to observing the Solar.
sunspot — a quickly cooler (and subsequently darker) area on the Solar’s photosphere attributable to magnetic subject variations.
syzygy — the lineup of three celestial our bodies; for a solar eclipse, the lineup is the Solar, the Moon, and Earth.
third contact — throughout a total solar eclipse, the moment totality ends.
umbra — the darkish interior area of a shadow solid by a solar system object illuminated by the Solar.
Common Time (UT) — often known as Greenwich Imply Time (GMT); commonplace time saved on the Greenwich meridian (longitude = 0°); astronomers use UT to coordinate observations of celestial occasions.
