VOA科学技术2023--What to Know about October's Solar Eclipse

What to Know about October's Solar Eclipse¹

Millions of people in the Americas will be in a position to see a solar eclipse on October 14.

Weather permitting, viewers will be able to see the moon as it is passing in front of the sun during the eclipse. The astronomical² event can be seen in parts of the United States, Mexico, and several countries in Central America and South America.

What is an annular³ solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between Earth and the sun. The moon blocks the view of some or all of the sun's face as it passes in front of the sun.

The one that will happen on October 14 is called an "annular solar eclipse." This happens when the moon passes between Earth and the sun at a time when the moon is at or close to its farthest point from our planet.

Because the moon is farther than usual from Earth during an annular solar eclipse, the moon will not completely cover the sun like a "total eclipse."

It will instead look like a dark circle on top of the sun's larger, bright face in the sky. As a result, the eclipse will momentarily look like a "ring of fire" surrounding the dark circle of the moon. A total eclipse will happen on April 8, 2024. It will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Where can it be seen?

The U.S. space agency NASA says the path in the United States where the maximum amount of sun will be covered runs through several states beginning at 16:13 GMT. It will start in the state of Oregon, and then pass through California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

The path then crosses over parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil before ending at sunset in the Atlantic Ocean.

People in much larger parts of North America, Central America, and South America will be able to see less of the sun covered, but it is still something to witness.

What is the safest way to watch an eclipse?

Experts warn that it is unsafe to look directly at the bright sun without using specialized⁴ eye protection designed for seeing the sun. Eyes can become damaged when looking at the sun without protection.

Because the sun is never fully⁵ blocked by the moon in an annular solar eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at it without such eye protection.

Viewing it through a camera, binoculars⁶, or telescope, without making use of a special filter for the sun can cause severe eye injury, experts say.

They advise using safe viewing glasses for the sun or a safe handheld viewer for the sun at all times during an annular solar eclipse. They note that regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the sun.

Words in This Story

ring – n. something that is shaped like a circle

maximum – n. the highest number or amount that is possible or allowed

filter – n. a device that prevents some kinds of light, sound, or electronic noises from passing through

1 eclipse   

v.使黯然失色，使相形见绌，日食，月食

参考例句：

• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
• There will be an eclipse of the moon next month.下个月有月食。

2 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

3 annular   

adj.环状的

参考例句：

• It was reported that there would be an annular eclipse tomorrow.据报道说，明天有日环食。
• The annular markings on a tree indicate its age.树的环形纹理显示其年龄。

4 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 binoculars   

n.双筒望远镜

参考例句：

• He watched the play through his binoculars.他用双筒望远镜看戏。
• If I had binoculars,I could see that comet clearly.如果我有望远镜，我就可以清楚地看见那颗彗星。