October 8, 2024 • 10 mins
Journey through the cosmos as we explore the awe-inspiring annular solar eclipse of October 14, 2024. In this episode, we'll unravel the celestial mechanics behind this "ring of fire" phenomenon, tracing its path across the Americas and delving into the cosmic coincidences that make such events possible.From the mountains of Oregon to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, we'll guide you through the eclipse's journey, explaining what viewers can expect to see and experience. We'll also explore the broader context of this event, including its place in the Saros cycle and its connection to the total solar eclipse just six months later.Join us for a Carl Sagan-inspired voyage that will not only lull you to sleep but also leave you with a deeper appreciation of our place in the vast cosmic arena. Whether you're an astronomy enthusiast or simply curious about the wonders of the night sky, this episode promises to ignite your cosmic imagination and provide a perspective that's truly out of this world.Prepare to drift off to sleep pondering the elegant truths of the universe and the exquisite interrelationships that govern our cosmic neighborhood. Sweet dreams await under the ring of fire!
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Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media! Get all our shows on any player you love, hassle free! For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. No plug-ins needed! You also get the other shows on the network ad-free! $4.99, a no brainer.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calarogus Shark Media Welcome cosmic voyagers to another enlightening episode
of sleep from space. Tonight, we embark on a celestial
journey to explore one of the most captivating astronomical events,
the annular solar eclipse, set to grace our skies on
(00:23):
October fourteenth, twenty twenty four. As you settle into your
cosmic cradle, prepare to be awed by the intricate dance
of celestial bodies that orchestrates this grand spectacle in the
vast cosmic arena. Our pale blue dot Earth is but
(00:44):
a tiny actor in an eternal cosmic ballet. Yet on
this special day in October twenty twenty four, our humble
planet will align with its celestial partners in a performance
as old as the Solar System itself. Picture, if you will,
our home world a jewel of blue and white, spinning
(01:06):
on its axis as it raises around the Sun at
a staggering sixty seven thousand miles per hour. Now imagine
our faithful companion, the Moon in its eternal orbit around us,
circling our planet every twenty seven point three days. On
(01:27):
this extraordinary day, these cosmic dancers will align in such
a way that from our vantage point on Earth, the
Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun. But
here's where the magic truly happens. The Moon will be
near its apogee, the farthest point in its elliptical orbit
(01:47):
from Earth. As a result, it will appear slightly smaller
in our sky, unable to completely cover the Sun's brilliant face.
The result a ring of solar fire encircling the Moon's
dark silhouette, a celestial ring forged not by any cosmic blacksmith,
(02:08):
but by the elegant precision of orbital mechanics. This, dear dreamers,
is an annular solar eclipse. Let's delve deeper into the
mechanics of this celestial event. The Moon's orbit around Earth
is not perfectly circular, but elliptical. This means that the
Moon's distance from Earth varies as it orbits. At its
(02:30):
closest approach perigee, the Moon is about two hundred twenty
five thousand, six hundred and twenty three miles from Earth.
At its farthest point apogee, it's about two hundred fifty
two thousand, eighty eight miles away. This difference of about
twenty six thousand, four hundred and sixty five miles is
enough to create a noticeable change in the Moon's apparent
(02:50):
size in our sky. Simultaneously, Earth orbits the Sun in
a similarly elliptical path. When Earth is closest to the
Sun perihelion, which occurs in early January, it's about ninety
one point four million miles away. At its farthest ophelion,
in early July, Earth is about ninety four point five
million miles from the Sun. This orbital dance affects the
(03:13):
apparent size of the Sun in our sky, albeit to
a lesser degree than the Moon's size changes. Now picture
these three celestial bodies, the Earth, Moon, and Sun, all
moving in their cosmic choreography. For an annular eclipse to occur,
several conditions must align. One, the Moon must be in
(03:35):
the new moon phase, positioned between Earth and the Sun. Two,
the Moon must be near its apogee, appearing smaller in
the sky. Three, the Earth, Moon, and Sun must be
in near perfect alignment. When these conditions are met, we
experience the wonder of an annular eclipse. The Moon, appearing
(03:59):
smaller due to its position in its orbit, is unable
to completely cover the Sun's disc Instead, it leaves a
ring of the Sun's photosphere visible, the famous ring of fire.
But when and where can we witness this cosmic spectacle.
The path of annularity, where this ring of fire will
be visible, will trace an arc across the Americas. It
(04:20):
begins its journey in the Pacific northwest of the United States,
specifically in Oregon's Cascade siski U National Monument at nine
thirteen AMPDT on October fourteenth, twenty twenty four. Like a
cosmic messenger, the Moon's shadow will race southeast across the
country at supersonic speeds. It will clip the corner of
(04:42):
California before entering Nevada at nine twenty two AMPDT, passing
just south of Great Basin National Park. The shadow then
sweeps across Utah, passing through the otherworldly landscape of Natural
Bridges Nationals Monument at ten twenty eight AMMDT. Next, our
(05:04):
celestial shadow play enters Colorado, gracing Mesa Verde National Park
with its presence at ten thirty one AMMDT. Continuing its journey,
the shadow crosses into New Mexico, where observers in Albuquerque
will witness the ring of fire at ten thirty four AMMDT.
The eclipse reaches Texas at eleven forty one AMCDT, treating
(05:25):
the historic city of San Antonio to the spectacle at
eleven fifty two AMCDT. Finally, it bids farewell to the
United States near Corpus Christi at eleven fifty eight AMCDT,
before continuing its journey across Central and South America. For
(05:45):
those fortunate enough to be within this path of annularity,
the eclipse will last between four and five minutes, depending
on your exact location. During this time, you'll witness the
breathtaking ring of fire effect, a site that is in
spe by an awe and wonder in humans since time immemorial.
But what exactly will you see during this celestial event.
(06:10):
As the eclipse begins, you'll notice a small, dark notch
appear on one edge of the Sun. Over the next
hour or so, this notch will grow, looking as if
a cosmic entity is taking an ever larger bite out
of our star. As the moment of annularity approaches, the
world around you will start to dim. It won't become
as dark as during a total solar eclipse. The ring
(06:32):
of sunlight prevents that, but the light will take on
an eerie silvery quality. Shadows will sharpen, and you might
notice animals becoming quieter, confused by this false dusk. Then,
as the center of annularity arrives, you'll see the Moon
(06:54):
centered in front of the Sun, surrounded by a brilliant
ring of sunlight. This is the rising of fire, a
cosmic light show that demonstrates the precise dance of celestial bodies.
After a few minutes, the ring will break and the
Moon will begin to move off the Sun's disc. Over
(07:15):
the next hour, you'll see the bite in the Sun
shrink until it disappears entirely, marking the end of the eclipse.
For those outside this narrow path of annularity, fear not.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible across most of
North and Central America. The farther you are from the
(07:35):
path of annularity, the smaller the bite taken out of
the Sun will appear. Even a partial eclipse is a
reminder of our place in this grand celestial dance. Now,
you might wonder when will we next bear witness to
such a spectacle. The cosmic clockwork that governs these events
operates on a grand scale. This particular series of eclipses
(07:58):
known to astronomers as Sorrows one hundred and thirty four
occurs every eighteen years and eleven days. The Sorrows cycle,
discovered by ancient Babylonian astronomers, is a period of two
hundred and twenty three sonotic months approximately six thousand, five
hundred and eighty five point three days that can be
used to predict eclipses of the Sun and Moon. The
(08:20):
next annular eclipse in this series will grace our skies
on October twenty fifth, twenty forty two. In the blink
of a cosmic eye, we're treated to two of nature's
grandest shows. As you drift towards slumber, ponder the cosmic
coincidences that make these events possible. Our Moon is about
four hundred times smaller than the Sun, yet it's also
(08:42):
about four hundred times closer to Earth. This cosmic quirk
of scale and distance allows for the perfect celestial alignments
we call eclipses. It's a coincidence that won't last forever.
The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth at a
rate of about one onero point five inches three point
eight centimeters per year. In the distant future, total solar
(09:06):
eclipses will become impossible, as the Moon will appear too
small to completely cover the Sun's disc. The annular eclipse
also reminds us of the dynamic nature of our solar system.
The fact that we can predict these events with pinpoint accuracy, years,
even centuries in advance is a testament to our understanding
(09:29):
of celestial mechanics. It's a triumph of human curiosity and
scientific endeavor, allowing us to anticipate and prepare for these
cosmic alignments. As Carl Sagan once said, the cosmos is
full beyond measure of elegant truths, of exquisite interrelationships, of
(09:51):
the awesome machinery of nature. The annular eclipse is but
one example of this elegant cosmic machinery at work. It's
a celestial clock taking away the eons, marking the passage
of time on a cosmic scale.
Calarogus Shark Media Welcome cosmic voyagers to another enlightening episode
of sleep from space. Tonight, we embark on a celestial
journey to explore one of the most captivating astronomical events,
the annular solar eclipse, set to grace our skies on
(00:23):
October fourteenth, twenty twenty four. As you settle into your
cosmic cradle, prepare to be awed by the intricate dance
of celestial bodies that orchestrates this grand spectacle in the
vast cosmic arena. Our pale blue dot Earth is but
(00:44):
a tiny actor in an eternal cosmic ballet. Yet on
this special day in October twenty twenty four, our humble
planet will align with its celestial partners in a performance
as old as the Solar System itself. Picture, if you will,
our home world a jewel of blue and white, spinning
(01:06):
on its axis as it raises around the Sun at
a staggering sixty seven thousand miles per hour. Now imagine
our faithful companion, the Moon in its eternal orbit around us,
circling our planet every twenty seven point three days. On
(01:27):
this extraordinary day, these cosmic dancers will align in such
a way that from our vantage point on Earth, the
Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun. But
here's where the magic truly happens. The Moon will be
near its apogee, the farthest point in its elliptical orbit
(01:47):
from Earth. As a result, it will appear slightly smaller
in our sky, unable to completely cover the Sun's brilliant face.
The result a ring of solar fire encircling the Moon's
dark silhouette, a celestial ring forged not by any cosmic blacksmith,
(02:08):
but by the elegant precision of orbital mechanics. This, dear dreamers,
is an annular solar eclipse. Let's delve deeper into the
mechanics of this celestial event. The Moon's orbit around Earth
is not perfectly circular, but elliptical. This means that the
Moon's distance from Earth varies as it orbits. At its
(02:30):
closest approach perigee, the Moon is about two hundred twenty
five thousand, six hundred and twenty three miles from Earth.
At its farthest point apogee, it's about two hundred fifty
two thousand, eighty eight miles away. This difference of about
twenty six thousand, four hundred and sixty five miles is
enough to create a noticeable change in the Moon's apparent
(02:50):
size in our sky. Simultaneously, Earth orbits the Sun in
a similarly elliptical path. When Earth is closest to the
Sun perihelion, which occurs in early January, it's about ninety
one point four million miles away. At its farthest ophelion,
in early July, Earth is about ninety four point five
million miles from the Sun. This orbital dance affects the
(03:13):
apparent size of the Sun in our sky, albeit to
a lesser degree than the Moon's size changes. Now picture
these three celestial bodies, the Earth, Moon, and Sun, all
moving in their cosmic choreography. For an annular eclipse to occur,
several conditions must align. One, the Moon must be in
(03:35):
the new moon phase, positioned between Earth and the Sun. Two,
the Moon must be near its apogee, appearing smaller in
the sky. Three, the Earth, Moon, and Sun must be
in near perfect alignment. When these conditions are met, we
experience the wonder of an annular eclipse. The Moon, appearing
(03:59):
smaller due to its position in its orbit, is unable
to completely cover the Sun's disc Instead, it leaves a
ring of the Sun's photosphere visible, the famous ring of fire.
But when and where can we witness this cosmic spectacle.
The path of annularity, where this ring of fire will
be visible, will trace an arc across the Americas. It
(04:20):
begins its journey in the Pacific northwest of the United States,
specifically in Oregon's Cascade siski U National Monument at nine
thirteen AMPDT on October fourteenth, twenty twenty four. Like a
cosmic messenger, the Moon's shadow will race southeast across the
country at supersonic speeds. It will clip the corner of
(04:42):
California before entering Nevada at nine twenty two AMPDT, passing
just south of Great Basin National Park. The shadow then
sweeps across Utah, passing through the otherworldly landscape of Natural
Bridges Nationals Monument at ten twenty eight AMMDT. Next, our
(05:04):
celestial shadow play enters Colorado, gracing Mesa Verde National Park
with its presence at ten thirty one AMMDT. Continuing its journey,
the shadow crosses into New Mexico, where observers in Albuquerque
will witness the ring of fire at ten thirty four AMMDT.
The eclipse reaches Texas at eleven forty one AMCDT, treating
(05:25):
the historic city of San Antonio to the spectacle at
eleven fifty two AMCDT. Finally, it bids farewell to the
United States near Corpus Christi at eleven fifty eight AMCDT,
before continuing its journey across Central and South America. For
(05:45):
those fortunate enough to be within this path of annularity,
the eclipse will last between four and five minutes, depending
on your exact location. During this time, you'll witness the
breathtaking ring of fire effect, a site that is in
spe by an awe and wonder in humans since time immemorial.
But what exactly will you see during this celestial event.
(06:10):
As the eclipse begins, you'll notice a small, dark notch
appear on one edge of the Sun. Over the next
hour or so, this notch will grow, looking as if
a cosmic entity is taking an ever larger bite out
of our star. As the moment of annularity approaches, the
world around you will start to dim. It won't become
as dark as during a total solar eclipse. The ring
(06:32):
of sunlight prevents that, but the light will take on
an eerie silvery quality. Shadows will sharpen, and you might
notice animals becoming quieter, confused by this false dusk. Then,
as the center of annularity arrives, you'll see the Moon
(06:54):
centered in front of the Sun, surrounded by a brilliant
ring of sunlight. This is the rising of fire, a
cosmic light show that demonstrates the precise dance of celestial bodies.
After a few minutes, the ring will break and the
Moon will begin to move off the Sun's disc. Over
(07:15):
the next hour, you'll see the bite in the Sun
shrink until it disappears entirely, marking the end of the eclipse.
For those outside this narrow path of annularity, fear not.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible across most of
North and Central America. The farther you are from the
(07:35):
path of annularity, the smaller the bite taken out of
the Sun will appear. Even a partial eclipse is a
reminder of our place in this grand celestial dance. Now,
you might wonder when will we next bear witness to
such a spectacle. The cosmic clockwork that governs these events
operates on a grand scale. This particular series of eclipses
(07:58):
known to astronomers as Sorrows one hundred and thirty four
occurs every eighteen years and eleven days. The Sorrows cycle,
discovered by ancient Babylonian astronomers, is a period of two
hundred and twenty three sonotic months approximately six thousand, five
hundred and eighty five point three days that can be
used to predict eclipses of the Sun and Moon. The
(08:20):
next annular eclipse in this series will grace our skies
on October twenty fifth, twenty forty two. In the blink
of a cosmic eye, we're treated to two of nature's
grandest shows. As you drift towards slumber, ponder the cosmic
coincidences that make these events possible. Our Moon is about
four hundred times smaller than the Sun, yet it's also
(08:42):
about four hundred times closer to Earth. This cosmic quirk
of scale and distance allows for the perfect celestial alignments
we call eclipses. It's a coincidence that won't last forever.
The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth at a
rate of about one onero point five inches three point
eight centimeters per year. In the distant future, total solar
(09:06):
eclipses will become impossible, as the Moon will appear too
small to completely cover the Sun's disc. The annular eclipse
also reminds us of the dynamic nature of our solar system.
The fact that we can predict these events with pinpoint accuracy, years,
even centuries in advance is a testament to our understanding
(09:29):
of celestial mechanics. It's a triumph of human curiosity and
scientific endeavor, allowing us to anticipate and prepare for these
cosmic alignments. As Carl Sagan once said, the cosmos is
full beyond measure of elegant truths, of exquisite interrelationships, of
(09:51):
the awesome machinery of nature. The annular eclipse is but
one example of this elegant cosmic machinery at work. It's
a celestial clock taking away the eons, marking the passage
of time on a cosmic scale.
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