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Longest Solar Eclipse Claims: There are claims on social media that in many countries there will be sudden darkness during the day, the temperature will fall and for a few minutes it will seem as if the Earth has stopped. Let us know how many things are true in this.
Fact Check Solar Eclipse Claims: On August 2, 2027, the world is going to see such an astronomical event, which scientists are calling the biggest and rarest event of the 21st century. On this day, there will be sudden darkness in many countries, the temperature will drop and for a few minutes it will seem as if the earth has stopped. You must have seen and heard such claims a lot on social media these days. It is being called the great solar eclipse of the century because it will be the longest total solar eclipse visible on Earth in the 21st century. So will the entire earth become dark?
The answer to this question is that this will not happen. Contrary to what is being spread on social media, this eclipse will not plunge the entire world into darkness, it will be visible only in a very narrow band. The path of totality i.e. the strip of complete darkness of this eclipse will be about 160 miles wide and will extend for about 15,227 kilometers. It will pass through only 11 countries – Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia.
What will happen during solar eclipse?
This eclipse will be a total solar eclipse of 6 minutes 23 seconds, which is twice the duration of normal eclipses. Such a long eclipse has not been seen in a hundred years and such an opportunity is not likely to come again until the 22nd century. In these areas, people will be able to see darkness during the day for a few minutes, drop in temperature and also stars in the sky. The duration of this eclipse will be exceptionally long, there are three reasons behind this –
- At the time of eclipse the Earth will be at aphelion i.e. farthest from the Sun.
- The Moon will be at perigee i.e. closest to the Earth.
- The path of the eclipse is close to the equator.
Why is this astronomical event special?
India does not come in the path of total solar eclipse, hence totality will not be seen here. There is a possibility of partial solar eclipse being visible in some parts of India, but complete darkness will not be seen. The eclipse is special because NASA says that the next eclipse of such a long duration will happen in the 22nd century, which means many people will not survive till then. Space agencies around the world – NASA, ESA, ISRO are considering it as a live laboratory. During this time, scientists will study the sun’s corona, changes in temperature and air, animal behavior and its effect on the Earth’s atmosphere.
