Solar Eclipse and Total Solar Eclipse-
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight either partially or fully. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon covers the entire Sun, creating a shadow on Earth’s surface. The areas within this shadow experience complete darkness as direct sunlight is blocked by the Moon.
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Why in the News?
Recently on 8 April 2024, a total solar eclipse happened in North America, from Mexico to Canada and crossing the contiguous United States.
Different Platoforms’ Celebrations-
Google celebrated this rare phenomenon by adding an eclipse-like update on its search screen. It could be seen by searching solar eclipse in the search box-
NASA celebrated this occasion by live broadcasting this event-
Impact-
Before the eclipse, it was estimated that the US economy could see a $6 billion increase due to the event. Hotels and short-term rentals in areas with the best views were fully booked for months leading up to the event.
Eclipse Magnitude vs Eclipse Obscuration-
Eclipse magnitude refers to the fraction of the Sun’s diameter covered by the Moon during an eclipse. On the other hand, eclipse obscuration measures the portion of the Sun’s surface area covered by the Moon during the same event.