10 strange things that happen during an eclipse (and why)
Today there will be a momentary lapse into complete darkness for the whole of North America. It will be the first time the continent has enjoyed a complete eclipse of the sun in 99 years. And if you feel like you may be missing out, not to worry - the UK will enjoy a partial eclipse during the event too.
The Pomo group, a Native American tribe from Northern California, believed that a bear was biting chunks out of the sun. And while nothing that strange actually happens during an eclipse, there can certainly be some spooky occurrences.
You can see mini eclipsed suns in shadows of trees
If you go out during the eclipse today you will notice that the shadows cast by trees have suddenly become quite strange. The tiny gaps between leaves act as pinhole lenses, projecting crescent shaped images of the eclipsed sun onto the ground below. It's a beautiful natural phenomenon.
Shadows bands
Shadow bands are thin, wavy lines that flash on plain-coloured surfaces, caused by the combination of the sun turning into a thin crescent and the undulating atmosphere as the light is beamed down to earth. This fleeting moment only occurs just before and after a total eclipse, so we won't be lucky enough to glimpse them here in Blighty.
The eclipse frightens dogs and birds
In 1932, The Boston Society of Natural History made 500 observations on odd animal behaviour over a 10-minute period during an eclipse. Half of the dogs surveyed appeared frightened during the event, hiding under cover to escape. Birds followed their lead and flew back to their coops. Funnily enough, cows were unmoved by what was going on in the sky and continued to munch grass.
Eskimos turn their cutlery upside down
In Eskimo culture, an eclipse is meant to represent a period of sickness with the dual entities of the Sun and Moon poisoning you with their rays. To sort this predicament out, Eskimo's turn their cutlery the other way round so the beams are shining on the handles and beaming the sickness away from them.
Baily's beads
Once again, this one's only for those lucky few (okay, many) in North America. As the moon starts to graze the outer edge of the sun's outline, the former, with its bumpy, crater-filled surface produces little beads of light as the sun shines through the holes. Boy, a total eclipse just keeps on getting better and better.
Unborn babies will get crooked joints. (Supposedly)
There are multiple old wives' tales putting the fear of God into superstitious mums-to-be during the eclipse. One of the more madcap ideas is that if pregnant women do not spend the whole of the eclipse lying flat on their back then their baby will develop crooked joints. There is, unsurprisingly, zero scientific evidence to back this up.
Bats fly around
It's common knowledge that bats are nighttime animals and as such are rarely spotted during the day. Unfortunately, they get a bit confused at eclipse time and start to fly around thinking that the darkness means it is nighttime.
Bonnie Tyler sings Total Eclipse of the Heart on a cruise ship
Apart from around the time of Eurovision, we don't often get much reason to talk about 80s balladeer Bonnie Tyler, who found fame and karaoke immortality with her hit song Total Eclipse of the Heart. Thankfully, we have an excuse to pay homage to her epic track, as Tyler will be belting it out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean come eclipse time.
The solar system lights up
Anyone in the path of totality during the eclipse will be able to see Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury easily with the naked eye - with Venus shining the brightest around 30 minutes before a total eclipse. So, while the sun and the moon hog all the limelight, spare a thought for the rest of the solar system will you.
The temperature plummets
Not so strange, given that the sun is our source of heat, and when you turn that tap off, well it's going to get cold. During the total solar eclipse on Dec. 9, 1834, the Gettysburg Republican Banner reported that in some places, the eclipse caused the temperature to drop by as much as 28 degrees Fahrenheit. The drop in heat will be similar to that between midday and night, only the suddenness can give one quite a chill.
