PICTURES | Stunning images of solar eclipse that transfixed North America
Monday's solar eclipse's shadow first touched the surface of the Earth in the Pacific Ocean before travelling across Mexico, turning daylight into darkness as crowds watched on
SPECTACULR SCEINCE | Millions of people across Mexico, the US and Canada looked to the skies on Monday to witness a total solar eclipse carve a narrow path of darkness across the continent.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of Earth, totally or partially.
Back in 2013, a total solar eclipse passed over Uganda, and the small town of Pakwatch in the northwest of the country was identified as the best place to see it, possibly in the entire world.
Specifically, Pakwatch's Owiny Primary School was singled out as a prime viewing location.
At the time, sky gazers descended on Pakwach to catch the phenomenon that will next happen in Uganda in 6,229 days on Tuesday, April 30, 2041.
But before then, Ugandans will see the next partial solar eclipse in 1,209 days on Monday, August 2, 2027.
However, for those above 20 years, it is unlikely they will be around to see the next annular solar eclipse in Uganda in 24,952 days on Sunday, August 3, 2092.
An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from Earth.
Because the Moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover the Sun.
Monday's solar eclipse's shadow first touched the surface of the Earth in the Pacific Ocean before travelling across Mexico, turning daylight into darkness as crowds watched on. As the Moon passes in front of the Sun, casting a shadow on Earth and turning day to dusk, the most noticeable meteorological affect to many will be the drop in temperature.
The eclipse rolled over the border into the US and brought darkness to large areas of Texas, including the cities of Austin and Dallas. Total solar eclipses happen about every 18 months, but they’re often in unpopulated or remote areas whereas this one passed over several big cities across three countries.
While neither Washington DC nor New York City were in the path of totality, both saw about 90 percent of the Sun covered by the Moon and plenty of people took to the streets - and skyscrapers - to catch a view. In blocking out our main source of energy we may notice the drop in warmth on our skins immediately, but it can take up to 20 minutes for the air temperature to reach its lowest point.
Many of those watching were treated to a breathtaking display of the Sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, which is usually obscured by its own intense glare.
Some were even lucky enough to see a phenomenon called solar prominences extending from the Sun while it was behind the Moon. In blocking out our main source of energy we may notice the drop in warmth on our skins immediately, but it can take up to 20 minutes for the air temperature to reach its lowest point.
This is because of the way our air is actually warmed. It is not warmed directly by the Sun, but instead by the Sun’s warmth radiating back out of the ground, and this takes a little longer.
Stargazers in Canada were the last ones to catch a glimpse of the incredible event before the eclipse crossed into the Atlantic Ocean and out of view.
The amount the air temperature drops will vary depending on the overriding weather conditions, but most places under the line of totality can expect a drop of at least a couple of degrees.
During the eclipse across Europe in August 1999, Szczawnica in southern Poland observed a temperature fall of as much as 11 Celsius. It is that change in temperature that also drives other weather changes.
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The original version of this picture story was published by the BBC and can be seen here.
