Arabia Weather - As the date of the total solar eclipse approaches on April 8th in North America, in an event that many scientists and amateurs are eagerly awaiting, social platforms have not been free of a wave of rumors and false claims.
Pages and accounts have spread widely on social media platforms in different languages around the world, promoting misleading information about this awaited eclipse, including the claim that it will continue for three consecutive days , which will leave the Earth immersed in complete darkness during that period.
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Some publications claimed that the upcoming eclipse would “turn day into night,” and that the entire world would witness this “historic” event . These posts received thousands of shares and interactions on social media platforms.
However, this information included material errors and exaggerations.
The eclipse will only be visible in specific areas in North America, including Mexico, the United States and Canada, according to the US Space Agency (NASA). Therefore, darkness will not cover the entire planet.
On the other hand, the claim that “darkness will turn the sun's rays into night,” as the publications claimed, is not true according to scientists' assessment.
Robert Simcoe, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for Astrophysics and Space Research, confirmed that "the sky will not turn black" during the next eclipse.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Simcoe explained, “The moon will obscure the disk of the sun during the eclipse, but the light will not disappear completely. The situation will be like a sunset moment in the middle of the day.”
Although some rumors have been circulating about the duration of the eclipse, the US Space Agency (NASA) has confirmed that the maximum duration of this anticipated event will be four minutes and 28 seconds , and this will be specifically in Torreon, Mexico.
In terms of safety, experts denied the validity of the warnings circulating about the necessity of staying at home or not traveling, but they warned of the danger of looking at the sun directly without using special lenses or binoculars.
Scientists are particularly looking forward to benefiting from the total solar eclipse, as this rare event is an opportunity to delve deeper into the study of the heliosphere and the atmosphere of planet Earth. In addition, they aim to understand the impact of this cosmic phenomenon on the behavior of animals, birds and insects.
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Sources:
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