There Is A Surprising Drop Of Temperature During The Total Solar Eclipse

Experts and observers have noticed a sudden drop in temperatures during the rare event known as the "total solar eclipse." So, how much is the drop in temperature during this celestial event?

Space.com reports that the temperature dropped by as much as 28 degrees Fahrenheit from 78 degrees Fahrenheit to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius) during the total solar eclipse on Dec. 9, 1834. Meanwhile, there was a drop in temperature from 8 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 13 degrees Celsius to minus 21 degrees Celsius) during the total solar eclipse on the Norwegian Island of Svalbard in March 2015.

The drop in temperatures during this celestial phenomenon depends on the location and time of the year. The change is caused by the loss of light from the disk of the Sun. This is like the difference between the temperature at midday and the temperature just after sunset, and the change will happen suddenly. The average drop in temperature during the total solar eclipse is about 10 degrees Fahrenheit (about 5 degrees Celsius), according to Rick Feinberg, the head of media relations for the American Astronomical Society.

During the total solar eclipse, the Moon envelopes the whole disk of the Sun. The Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow called umbra on the planet Earth. During this phenomenon, the day becomes as dark as night.

The next total solar eclipse will occur on Aug. 21, 2017. It will be seen in some areas of America and other parts of the world. To get a glimpse of the total solar eclipse, one must protect his eyes by having protective eyewear or eyeglasses that shield the Sun's UV radiation.

On average, the total solar eclipses occur every 18 months. On the other hand, they could only be viewed on a narrow strip of land.