Why do total solar eclipses occur more frequently in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere?

At some times of the year, the Earth is a little farther from the Sun – so the sun appears smaller than usual. During these times, when the Earth, moon, and sun are aligned, it is easier for the moon to effectively block the sun, causing a total solar eclipse.

But at other times of the year, the Earth is closer to the Sun so the Sun appears larger than usual. When the Earth, moon, and sun align at these times of the year, the Sun appears larger and the moon may not completely block it, creating an annular solar eclipse.

In both hemispheres, solar eclipses usually occur in the summer, when the sun spends more time above the horizon and it must be daytime for the eclipse to be visible. During summer, the Northern Hemisphere is at the farthest point of Earth's orbit, while Summer in the Southern Hemisphere occurs at the closest point. As a result, total solar eclipses are more likely to occur north of the equator.

But even in the Northern Hemisphere, total solar eclipses are more common at higher latitudes. There are a few different reasons why this might happen. First, at the highest latitudes, the summer sun rarely dips below the horizon, meaning there is sunlight even at night, in contrast to lower latitudes where nights are dark. summer.

Then there's the Earth's curvature, which causes the moon's shadow to fall at a shallower angle at higher latitudes; The path of an eclipse near the Arctic Circle can be four times wider than an eclipse at lower latitudes. So, according to statistics, the best place to view a total solar eclipse is around 80 degrees North

If you live in North America, you'll have a chance to enjoy the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, which will take a long path across Canada, the US and Mexico.

Marvin Fry

Update 03 April 2024