What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, creating a narrow band of shadows sweeping through the planet's surface.
Solar eclipses make the sky in broad daylight twilight like sunset, air temperature drops, shadows become abnormal and some animals may mistakenly believe it's dark.
Solar eclipses were once seen as a warning sign of the doomsday or a message from the gods. However, according to NASA, solar eclipses are actually a "miraculous coincidence of the universe". NASA explains, "although the Sun is about 400 times larger in diameter than the Moon, it is also about 400 times further away from Earth". Therefore, in the right position in the dark, the Moon can completely cover the Sun, revealing the outermost atmosphere of the Sun.
Where to observe the eclipse on August 12th?
On August 12, the first area to witness a total solar eclipse will be a remote area in northern Russia.
After that, the total solar eclipse will successively pass through Greenland, Iceland, Spain and the northeastern region of Portugal.
In Spain, darkness will move from the area near the city of Oviedo in the north to Mallorca Island in the Mediterranean.
How long does a solar eclipse last?
For astronomy enthusiasts observing solar eclipses in Spain, a total solar eclipse will last less than 2 minutes, taking place right before sunset. For example, in the city of Burgos, the sky will be completely dark for 1 minute and 48 seconds.
In some regions of Russia and Greenland, the total solar eclipse time will be longer, but still not exceeding 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Meanwhile, a partial solar eclipse - the period when the Moon begins to cover and then leaves the Sun - will last about 1 hour and 45 minutes. People in most of Europe, Canada, northern America and northwestern Africa can also observe a partial solar eclipse.
How rare is the solar eclipse on August 12th?
On average, the world has about 1-2 solar eclipses each year. However, because the darkness of total solar eclipses is very narrow, a specific location may have to wait about 400 years to witness this phenomenon again.
On August 2, 2027, another full solar eclipse will pass through southern Spain, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The time when the Sun is completely obscured during the eclipse on August 2, 2027 will last 6 minutes 23 seconds - much longer than the eclipse in 2026. According to astronomers, a full-time eclipse with a longer duration will only appear in 2114.
Next, on January 26, 2028, southern Spain will continue to experience a diamond eclipse, meaning the Moon does not completely cover the Sun, leaving a bright halo surrounding it.
Notes when observing an eclipse on August 12th?
Experts recommend not to look directly at the Sun at any stage of a solar eclipse. Looking directly at the Sun can cause serious eye damage.
Experts recommend using specialized solar observation lenses capable of filtering ultraviolet rays that meet ISO 12312-2:2015 standards.
How does Vietnam consider receiving full food on August 12th?
For astronomy enthusiasts in Vietnam, solar eclipse observation can be followed through live broadcasts on NASA's website. NASA will broadcast live the solar eclipse starting at 1:15 PM on August 12, EDT (ie 0:14 AM on August 13, Hanoi time).
