Eclipse 

Q&A from Presentation on 1/20/24 at Edison Library:
Q: Can a rocket be launched during a solar or lunar eclipse?
A: Yes, a solar or lunar eclipse will not affect rocket launches.
Q: How are future eclipse timings/locations calculated?
A: Geometry of Earth/Moon orbit, Newton’s laws of motion and entering current position of Earth and Moon into computer software are used for calculating past/future eclipse timings and locations.
Q&A from Presentation on 3/9/24 at West Deptford Library:
Q: Why do you need eye protection to watch a solar eclipse?
A: Exposing your eyes to the solar eclipse without proper eye protection can cause retinal burns. The damage caused by viewing the sun without protection may be known in a few hours to a few days.
Q&A from Presentation on 3/16/24 at Clifton Library:
Q: What is the term when one satellite eclipses another satellite (e.g. Galilean Moons eclipsing each other)?
A: Mutual Eclipses is the term when one satellite passes under the shadow of another satellite.
Q&A from Presentation on 3/17/24 at Vorhees Library:
Q: What does magnitude mean for a solar eclipse and why can it exceed 1.0?
A: Magnitude represents how much of the sun is covered. If the magnitude exceeds 1.0, it means that the moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's apparent diameter.
Q&A from Presentation on 3/24/24 at Pemberton Library:
Q: Are solar flares related to solar eclipses?
A: Solar flares consist of large eruptions of electromagnetic radiation in the Sun's atmosphere. Solar flares happen once every 11 years and may or may not coincide with a solar eclipse. However, if a solar eclipse is visible during the time of solar flares, the corona can be seen more clearly.
Q: Why can solar flares cause radio blackouts?
A: When a strong solar flare happens, lower layers of the ionosphere produce ionization. Radio waves lose energy when they collide with electrons. This can cause high frequency radio signals to degrade or completely absorb, causing a radio blackout.
Q: How do thermal shockwaves affect the Moon during lunar eclipses?
A: During a lunar eclipse, Earth blocks sunlight from reaching from the Moon. This thermal shock can cause crumbling of lunar rocks and escaping of gas from the Moon. The temperature on the Moon can drop over 400 degrees Fahrenheit during a lunar eclipse.
Q&A from Presentation on 4/5/24 at OLLI, South Dakota:
Q: Will the Devil Comet be visible during the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024?
A: The comet is expected to be visible throughout the path of totality on April 8, 2024, but will be barely visible to the unaided eye. Binoculars can help view the comet.
Q: What are Baily's beads?
A: Baily's beads are diamond ring effects seen because of the rugged topography of the lunar limb, when Moon blocks the Sun's light during a Total or Annular Solar Eclipse. Baily's beads are usually visible just before and after totality.