APRIL 6, 2024 — Editor’s note: The San Antonio Express-News ran the following op-ed online on (March 10) and in print on (March 11).
The best possible place to view a total solar eclipse is along the path of totality. Watching it anywhere outside the path won’t do it justice. Even when the sun is 99% eclipsed, it isn’t enough. It’s still considered a partial eclipse.
Here’s why.
The path of totality, or PoT, is the strip of the surface of the Earth where the sun will be completely blocked out by the moon. Anyone outside the path of totality does not see a total eclipse. A large area parallel to the PoT will get a partial eclipse, with the locations closest to the PoT getting the most eclipsed sun. But it’s still not 100%.
The sun’s faint atmosphere, known as the corona, is always present. The brightness of the light emitting from the sun’s main disk often hides this faint atmosphere. The uneclipsed sun is 100,000 to a million times brighter than the corona.
Imagine being in a dark room, looking at a phone. When the brightness is low, the screen is visible just fine. However, outside in bright sunlight, a phone’s screen brightness must increase for anything to be seen. And even then, it’s hard to see what's on the screen. If the automatic screen brightness adjustment is disabled, the screen isn’t visible until the brightness is adjusted.
Viewers witnessing an eclipse experience a similar effect when they look at the corona, which is significantly fainter than the main disc of the sun.
Consider that when 99% of the sun is eclipsed, 1% of the sun is still showing. The sun is 100,000 times brighter than the corona, so even that 1% sliver of sun is at least 1,000 times brighter than the corona.
Similarly, if the sun is at 99.9% partial eclipse, 1/1,000 of the sun is still visible. That’s still 100 times brighter than the corona. That’s still too much light to experience the glory of a total solar eclipse. Outside the path of totality — even at 99.9% partial eclipse, it will NOT get dark.
Those who witness the full awesomeness of a total solar eclipse within the PoT are in for a treat. Here are a few things PoT viewers will experience firsthand:
To experience the sudden plunge into deep twilight, followed by the sudden return of daylight a few minutes later and all the other awesome wonders of a total solar eclipse, get into the path of totality.
Visit the San Antonio Express-News’ interactive online map to view the path of totality for the total solar eclipse on April 8, and make plans now to truly experience this amazing event.
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This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusJoin us for a tribute to Willie Velásquez, honoring the legacy of Willie Velásquez, a pivotal figure in shaping the history of Latino and Hispanic participation in the American voting process. Delve into his life and contributions as a champion of Latino voting rights. Moderated by UTSA's Teresa Niño, the event will feature influential voices, including Jane Velásquez, María Antonietta Berriozábal, Dora Oliva, and Anthony Gonzales.
Buena Vista Building, Gregory Luna Room, Downtown CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
