October 2nd, annular solar eclipse It will also be visible from the southern hemisphere. During this event, from our perspective on Earth, the Moon will not be able to completely cover the Sun, leaving a “ring of fire” around the Moon.
The moon’s shadow appears to move at vastly different speeds depending on its location. In some places, they can travel at speeds exceeding 6 million miles per hour (10 million km per hour). Otherwise, it travels at 1,278 miles per hour (2,057 km), or about the same speed as a fighter jet.
During the annular period solar eclipsethe shadow of the moon is projected. earth From northwest to southeast, but since the planet is round, the shadow moves across the curved surface. Therefore, the distance between the place where the eclipse is occurring and the Earth is month Always changing. The moon’s orbital speed changes as well. Taken together, these factors result in a significant change in the speed of the shadow.
Here, we’ll take a look at where the moon’s shadow moves fastest and slowest so you can plan what’s next. Annular solar eclipse in 2024. Remember, it is never safe to look directly at the sun during an annular eclipse. solar without it solar eclipse glasses Designed for solar observation. read the guide How to safely observe the sun.
Related: Where can I see the annular solar eclipse on October 2, 2024?
Where the annular solar eclipse travels fastest
The event begins at eclipse sunrise, peaks at noon, and ends at eclipse sunset. The Earth’s curvature makes a big difference in the apparent speed of the Moon’s shadow across its surface, with much faster speeds seen at the ends of its path. After all, that’s where the shadow hits the Earth at the most extreme tangent.
When it first impacts the middle of the Pacific Ocean, south of Hawaii, the moon’s “anti-equatorial” shadow (in which the “ring of fire” is visible) will travel at an astonishing speed of 5.31 million miles per hour (8.55 million kilometers per hour). You will have to move. According to Xavier Juvier interactive solar eclipse map. It will depart from the planet near South Georgia Island in the southern Atlantic Ocean in 229 minutes, traveling at a speed of 6.25 million miles per hour (10 million kilometers per hour).
At these precise moments, the moon’s shadow touches and moves away from the Earth, making the shadow’s velocity essentially infinite. This makes these alarming numbers almost meaningless. Therefore, it is more beneficial to consider the speed of the shadow at the point where the ring of fire appears dead on the horizon. At these locations, the moon’s shadow moves at 5,131 miles per hour (8,258 km/h) and 8,893 miles per hour (14,312 km/h), respectively.
Where the annular solar eclipse moves the slowest
When the moon’s shadow moves the slowest, the ring of fire lasts the longest. In this case, the ring of fire appears only from a point in the Pacific Ocean northwest of Easter Island/Rapanui for 7 minutes and 25 seconds, and the moon’s shadow moves at a slow speed of 1,278 miles per hour (2,057 km). h).
Why is it so slow? At this point, the sun will be as close to overhead as possible (approximately 68 degrees north) and it will be local noon. distance between earth and moon It will be the minimum value. Therefore, the moon’s shadow is as close to perpendicular to the Earth’s surface as possible, and appears to be moving at the slowest rate. This is where the shadow takes the longest to travel across the Earth’s surface, so the ring of fire will be visible from inside it for the longest time.
