From what I’ve read, there quite a few solar eclipses in the world every few years, so why is this one in particular so scientifically interesting?
In: Planetary Science
There’s normally two solar eclipses a year, so it’s a reasonable question.
Well, this is a total eclipse. Only a little less than half of solar eclipses are total, and there’s a world of difference between a total and a partial eclipse. I’ve seen three eclipses in the last fifteen years, one total and two partial (all three in Oregon!) and the difference is mind-blowing.
This is the last total solar eclipse in the lower 48 for something like the next twenty years. If Americans want to see one after this, they’ll have to either wait two decades or travel. Traveling for eclipses can be a huge pain in the neck; there’s always terrible congestion, traffic, and a lack of hotel and/or camping space, so it’s a big deal to be able to see one near home.
There was an excellent total solar eclipse in America seven years ago in 2017, so people are a little more primed to recognize this as a big opportunity.
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