April 8, 2024 There will be a total solar eclipse that won’t happen again, at least in Mexico, until March 30… 2052! In addition, it will last four and a half minutes within the “Umbra”, the area where there will be complete darkness.
in mexico, There are already many sites and hotels 100% occupied in major cities where the shadow of the eclipse will pass, From Mazatlan passing through Piedras Negras, Durango, Torreon and Cuatro Cienegas.
This story, which can be enjoyed in the movie “Einstein and Eddington” (which you can watch on your favorite streaming platform), The eclipse was used to test Einstein’s theory of (general) relativity. Spoiler: By measuring the amount of light that is deflected when it passes close to a massive body like the Sun.
Although the theory of general relativity is already more than proven, there are always experiments to be done during eclipses, as well as enjoying the sky during totality and, why not, the companions that visit us every 70 years or so. On this occasion, the eclipse will be accompanied by comet “Diablo”.
Comet Diablo
On Meteor, we already talked about the visit to Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, the official name of Halley’s Comet. which has a period of 71.3 years, meaning it orbits the Sun in a little over 71 years.
Due to the size of its orbit and the time it takes to complete its orbit, it is said to be a Halley-type comet – Remember that Halley’s Comet takes 75 to 79 years to make a complete revolution. It is also believed to have originated from the Oort Cloud, an imaginary sphere filled with the early remnants of the Solar System’s formation.
All objects in this region, located more than 50,000 astronomical units away, Usually large, icy rocks containing gas and dust. Because of this, when they pass closest to the Sun, the heat from the star starts to melt and cause explosions.
An astronomical unit is the (average) distance between the Earth and the Sun and is equal to 150 million kilometers.
This comet’s activity has impressed friends and strangers, Because the object, more than three times larger than Mount Everest, had impressive eruptions, not one, but two tails, It looks like it has two horns, hence its unique name.
How to find it
During this period, the comet begins to approach perihelion, The closest point to the Sun, which is between April 24 and 25, And so it becomes brighter and closer to the sun in the sky.
When the eclipse occurs on April 8, Its distance in the sky from Astro King will be 25 degrees, Which is very close and very easy to find by following the directions below:
The first thing is to know how you can measure angles (distances) in the sky and to do this you have to use your hands. For example, A thumb stretched out before us measures about one degree in the sky, Similar to those occupied by the Sun or the Moon (this is why we can cover the Sun with our fingers).
If we use three fingers together and hold them out in front of us with our arms extended, this will represent approximately 5 degrees from the sky. And what can help us most in this case, It is to use the fourth finger extended in front of us in the sky. It will be between 20 to 25 degrees.
In Mexico, “cuarta” refers to the distance between the extended thumb and little finger.
All that’s left is to find the east, which is easy because that’s the area where the sun rises. Once the East is identified, you should wait until the eclipse is at its maximum, i.e. until the Moon completely covers it. Comet Diablo will be about 25 degrees in this direction (east). Don’t forget to take a photo.
Curiosities
The last time she passed by the planet, Mexico was celebrating women’s right to vote for the first time, a historic achievement that took a long time to come to fruition. This time, there is a more than 66% chance of achieving a new milestone for women in the public life of the country.
A coincidence? Yes for sure! Nature does not work like that, an eclipse or a comet is not a sign of anything, It is just a phenomenon that happens and we can benefit from it by being in the right place at the right time.
All that remains is to position yourself well and enjoy the spectacle during the eclipse. To catch a comet close to the Sun, to observe the great solar corona, which, at this time of year, is at its maximum activity and whose appearance will be impressive.
Remember to save your eyesight, try to take a nice photo and share it with us on our social media And, of course, to appreciate the great cosmic dance.
