News

The History and Future of Solar Eclipses

Elijah Henry, Reporter

April 22, 2024

Credit to – MILOSLAV DRUCKMÜLLER, PETER ANIOL, SHADIA HABBAL/NASA GODDARD, JOY NG

With the recent solar eclipse on April 8, which presented totality across 15 states in the United States to roughly 44 million people, many wonder about future solar eclipses and the history behind them. Not only is it an extraordinary sight to see, but every solar eclipse’s effects on the environment are remarkable.

The first solar eclipse ever recorded was around 2137 BCE in ancient China during the Shang Dynasty, marking a significant moment for the future of humanity. Solar eclipses were seen as sacred at this time and many ancient civilizations, such as the Babylonians and the Aztecs, performed rituals during them, mainly sacrificial. Solar eclipses were also often viewed from a religious standpoint, a long-lasting view even today. For example, in 632, there was an annular solar eclipse in Medina, Saudi Arabia. This date coincided with the death of Prophet Mohammad’s son Ibrahim, which very well created some unrest in the society.

Solar eclipses are more common than many people think, occurring multiple times a year. The future holds promise, with a series of eclipses set to take place in October and April, with many more happening in future years, sparking anticipation and excitement for these celestial events.

Additionally, a deep dive into solar eclipses’ effects on Earth is fascinating. When the moon shifts in front of the sun, Earth cools rapidly in a short period, causing the wind to momentarily cease. On top of this, birds end their singing and chirping, and many animals begin falling asleep, especially during totality.

Story continues below advertisement

While the allure of future solar eclipses is undeniable, it is crucial to prioritize safety during such events. The general rule of never looking at the sun with the naked eye is amplified during a solar eclipse. The moon’s cover does not shield you from the potential harm of the sun’s corona, its outermost layer. Ensuring your safety is crucial, even in the face of such a captivating event.

The next total solar eclipse in the United States will take place in 2044; however, many others will occur soon. The next will be visible in Greenland, western Iceland, and northern Spain. At its peak, the eclipse will last 2 minutes and 18 seconds.

Donate to The Tower

$520

$650

Contributed

Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of The Tower and John Adams High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributor

Elijah Henry, Reporter

Elijah Henry, better known as Eli, is a senior at John Adams High School, and is excited to return to writing for The Tower for a second year. He hopes to provide interesting stories and expand the horizons of The Tower. Outside of the newspaper, he’s part of other clubs, such as the John Adams Volunteer Association (JAVA), and is hoping to participate in Quiz Bowl this year. He also recently became a member of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). After high school, Eli aspires to attend Purdue University and study cybersecurity to achieve his goal of acquiring his dream job which is a cybersecurity specialist. Eli is a persistent soccer player. He hopes to continue playing for both recreational and competitive teams in the future. He has played for 10 years and counting, both for the Michiana Soccer Association (MSA) and Jr. Irish. Eli has two cats, has a job at Notre Dame, and is hopefully going to get his license soon. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, creating art, and coding websites and bots. His biggest accomplishment with coding is helping develop an AI for an unreleased project. Eli hopes to provide great content and ideas to expand the horizons of The Tower and offer a good experience for the readers. For The Tower, he’ll do it all: write opinions, interviews, current events, and more. Eli also plans working with other staff members of The Tower to create a more interesting and fun environment for the reader, such as possibly taking part in media, and overall just ending his high school career with some fun.