Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 84

FOCAL POINT by Richard Tresch Fienberg
Say What You Mean
Don't be an inadvertent source of eclipse misinformation.
WITH SOLAR ECLIPSES coming to the
Americas both this month and next
April, many S&T readers will soon stand
in the Moon's shadow. Many will stand
in the media spotlight, too, as reporters
and the public clamor for information
on these events.
After the 2017 total solar eclipse,
NASA sponsored a survey of the public's
response (see https://is.gd/2017NASA).
Among the results: " Nearly 20 million
American adults traveled to a place
other than their home city to improve
their view of the eclipse . . . " But when
asked to rate how enjoyable the experience
was, these eclipse-chasers (most
of them first-timers) gave it an average
rating of 8.1 out of 10.
Anyone who has experienced totality
under clear skies knows that on
a scale of 1 to 10, it scores 11. Skies
were mostly cloud-free on eclipse day
in 2017, so what caused the somewhat
tepid response? It turns out that
two-thirds of those who traveled for
the eclipse drove closer to the path of
the Moon's shadow but not into it, the
survey noted, " to increase the level of
totality observed. "
84 OCTOBER 2023 * SKY & TELESCOPE
Oops. There's only one level of totality:
100%. Anything less is a partial
eclipse, in which it doesn't get particularly
dark or cold, you can't observe the
Sun's corona or prominences, and you
don't see stars or planets in the daytime.
Somehow that message didn't get
through to everyone. Perhaps it was all
the pre-eclipse press claiming you see
" more totality " the closer you get to the
path's center but failing to clarify that
this refers to the duration of totality, not
the degree of obscuration. Those who
thought they'd get some " level of totality "
outside the path likely rated the
eclipse as below their expectations.
With the approach of this month's
annular eclipse (see pages 34 and 60)
and next year's total eclipse (S&T: Apr.
2023, p. 26), misinformation is again
appearing in the media. Some examples:
* " An annular or total solar eclipse
is a rare event. " Not really. There's
one somewhere on Earth every year
or two. Better to say: " It's rare for
an annular or total solar eclipse to
occur in your hometown or only a
short drive away. "
* " A total solar eclipse is a once-in-aThe
author captured this series of the 2017
total solar eclipse from Madras, Oregon.
lifetime experience. " Not for those
who've experienced totality multiple
times! Here's a better way to put it:
" You should experience a total solar
eclipse at least once in your lifetime. "
* " A total solar eclipse is important
scientifically. " Sure, for a few
researchers. But here's how you
might pitch it to everyone else: " A
total solar eclipse is the most beautiful
and genuinely awesome celestial
phenomenon you'll ever experience. "
* " Never look at the Sun without eye
protection. " Good advice, though
with one crucial exception for those
within the path of a total (but not
annular) eclipse. So say this instead:
" Except during totality, don't look at
the Sun without eye protection. "
You don't want to be the person
blamed when people keep their solar
filters on during totality and miss the
best part of the show. So be sure to
say what you mean when sharing your
expertise with family, friends, reporters,
and anyone else who asks you about the
coming solar eclipses.
¢ Senior Contributing Editor RICK FIENBERG
is Project Manager of the AAS's
Solar Eclipse Task Force - see eclipse.
aas.org. (The AAS publishes S&T.)
RICK FIENBERG / TRAVELQUEST INTERNATIONAL
https://www.is.gd/2017NASA http://www.eclipse.aas.org http://www.eclipse.aas.org

Sky & Telescope - October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - October 2023

Contents
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - Cover1
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - Cover2
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 1
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - Contents
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 3
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 4
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 5
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 6
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 7
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 8
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 9
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 10
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 11
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 12
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 13
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 14
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 15
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 16
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 17
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 18
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 19
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 20
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 21
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 22
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 23
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 24
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 25
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 26
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 27
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 28
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 29
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 30
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 31
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 32
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 33
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 34
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 35
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 36
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 37
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 38
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 39
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 40
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 41
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 42
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 43
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 44
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 45
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 46
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 47
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 48
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 49
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 50
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 51
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Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 53
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 54
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 55
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 56
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 57
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 58
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Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 60
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 61
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 62
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 63
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Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 65
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 66
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 67
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Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 69
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 70
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 71
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 72
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 73
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Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 76
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Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 83
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - 84
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - Cover3
Sky & Telescope - October 2023 - Cover4
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