Why is the path of totality so small during an eclipse.

386 viewsOtherPlanetary Science

Had someone (not a flat earther but someone who questions everything) hold an egg up to a globe, and shine a light behind it. No matter the angle, the shadow would not get extremely smaller than the egg. How is a huge moon casting such a small dark shadow during the eclipse, specificallythe path of totality? I know there’s an explanation, but could you so I can go explain to him like he’s 1?

Thanks!!!

In: Planetary Science

6 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

[Show him this picture.](https://live.staticflickr.com/5132/5507649409_f498285c21_b.jpg) I bet the moon is smaller/farther away from the Earth than you guys were thinking in your demo. It’s not about just the angle it’s about the *distance.*

**If your egg is 2.5 inches long, it would have to be held 22 feet away from the globe** for the shadow to be accurate. Is that what you were doing? If you were holding the egg closer than the moon really is, then yes of course the shadow is going to be larger too.

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