A rare celestial phenomenon of near-miraculous coincidence of size and distance that the moon appears as exactly the right size to cover the sun so perfectly and reveal the corona. Total eclipses are widely regarded as one of Nature’s greatest spectacles. The chill and sweep of the Moon’s shadow, the sparkle of Bailey’s beads, and the sight of the corona blazing across the darkened daytime sky are life-altering experiences for some observers. If the Moon were slightly smaller than the Sun, the best eclipses would be annular ones with no dramatic corona or blackening of the daytime sky. If the Moon were slightly larger, the full glory of the chromosphere and prominences surrounded by the glowing corona would be lost. Fortunately, the Moon is “just right.” Earth is the only planet in the solar system with spectacular solar eclipses. Thanks to an apparently improbable coincidence, the Sun and the Moon are almost exactly the same size as seen from Earth. The Sun is 400 times larger than the Moon, but it is also 400 times farther away.
2007-04-14
13:17:33
·
15 answers
·
asked by
Anonymous
in
Religion & Spirituality