Astrophysicist Robert Tucker knows of several colleagues who have traveled around the world to see solar eclipses, but he has never personally witnessed this phenomenon. Next week, he plans to drive to New Brunswick to watch the moon cover the sun, and has crossed that off his to-do list.
“You have to go see it to have that experience,” Tucker said in an interview with CTV’s Todd Battis. “I think if you’re on the path to wholeness, you should do it because it’s a different experience.”
A solar eclipse will occur on April 8, leaving parts of New Brunswick in darkness for a period of time. Central New Brunswick will be in the middle of the eclipse and will experience the full effects, but other parts of the coast may also be able to catch a glimpse of the celestial phenomenon.
“If it’s a clear day and you’re in the path of totality, where the entire sun is completely covered by the moon, there will be three minutes of total darkness,” Tucker said. “The time it takes for the moon to actually touch the sun is about a few hours. In Nova Scotia, Meat Cove will be given a minute and a half (of darkness) and will also be given a P.E.I. tip.”
Professor Tucker advises people to wear suitable glasses to protect themselves during a solar eclipse and to avoid using unfiltered telescopes to view the sun.
“Be very careful with your eyesight,” he said.
Tucker said that while there may not be much to be learned from this eclipse from a scientific perspective, it was still an incredible event, especially given its historical rarity.
“Professional astronomers talk about what a profound experience this is for them,” he said. “A lot of them wax lyrical about it.
“The next total solar eclipse to cover Halifax will be in 2079.”
