Slay

To read more about the eclipse and see a simulation of what it will look like where you are, check out the full article from me, Szu Yu Chen, N. Kirkpatrick & Emily Eng (🎁): wapo.st/3VBxacF. And most importantly, go see the total eclipse on April 8 if you’re able!!

Here’s what totality will look like in Indianapolis, where I plan to view the eclipse. (Hopefully there won’t be clouds... if so I will be very sad)

Here’s an approximation of what the eclipse will look like in D.C. vs. Detroit. Even though Detroit will have 99% of the sun covered by the moon, it won’t feel much more dramatic than D.C.’s 87%! To see the true drama of the total eclipse, you gotta make your way to the path.

Espenak said once you’re out of the path of totality, there’s not a big difference in what you’ll see. “It’s just a thinner slice of the sun that’s visible. It’s only when you make that transformation from the partial eclipse to a total eclipse that you get this dramatic change.”

“During a total eclipse, you’re plunged into the moon’s shadow.... you see the sun’s solar corona. You don’t see any of those things in the partial eclipse, even at 99%. It’s the difference between night and day.” — Fred Espenak, retired NASA astrophysicist

Another awesome part of this eclipse is it will be visible, in some capacity, from the whole continental U.S.! But don’t be fooled — even if the sun is 99% covered by the moon where you are, there’s a huge difference between seeing a partial eclipse and a total one.

Totality will also last a while this time, exceeding 4 minutes of the sun being fully covered by the moon in some cities. During the 2017 eclipse, the location with the longest time in totality only experienced it for 2 minutes and 42 seconds.

This eclipse coincides with heightened solar activity, meaning the sun’s corona — the aura that shows up during the eclipse — will appear extra dramatic. During totality, you can even take off your solar eclipse glasses, and safely stare directly at the sun!

They’re calling it the “Great American Eclipse” for a reason. Especially if you live in the Midwest or East Coast, this will likely be the closest total eclipse to your city in your lifetime. And if you live out west, you’ll still have to wait until 2045 for a closer one!

Thx Andrew!

No problem, thanks for reading!

The links in this thread bypass the paywall

Indiana also falls near the bottom when compared with other states.

While the U.S. used to do OK on life expectancy, it's now the worst among its peers. And Indiana is below average. (See where your state falls: wapo.st/3LNb4hH)

My life expectancy right now as a Hoosier is similar to a 22-yo woman in Hungary.

When they said a dinosaur would turn into mush 😭😭

Chestnut on how he feels mid-contest: “That feeling of full is is completely ignored. What you’re feeling is tightness and feeling the burps trying to come up. You’re trying to...stop them from coming out or try to sneak the burps out very carefully so they don’t look like barf.”