Solar Eclipse Sunrise
It was 430AM when the alarm went off on a stunning June morning. That time of year, sunrise comes early, and I had to be ready for it as we were being treated to a rare partial solar eclipse sunrise. With coffee in hand and my darkest ND Filter on my best zoom lens, I staked out a spot where I could catch the sun at its earliest as the eclipse would not last very long.
Ever seen a solar eclipse? They happen a few times a year, and depending on where you are on the planet, they can range from a partial (as in the photo) to a total eclipse. What is an eclipse? The moon passes between your vantage point on earth and the sun. Did you know we are the only planet in the solar system where this happens? Being unique is something to ponder, but what is outright fascinating is the perfect geometric relationship between the Sun and the Moon.
When you experience a total solar eclipse, the moon has passed precisely between you and the sun. Seems reasonable but have you ever wondered why the moon covers the sun perfectly? Not part of it, not just the middle part or double, exactly. How can that be? The moon is so much smaller and closer than the 93 million miles the sun is from us. The Moon is 400 times smaller than the sun. Here comes the weird part, it is also 400 times close to the Earth than the Sun. The result is the size of both the Moon and Sun, as viewed from Earth, are identical.
You could probably explain many coincidences logically, but this isn't one of them. This shows an intelligence beyond our understanding. Still not convinced? The distance between the Sun to Earth is approx 93 million miles. If you double that and divide it by 1000, you get the speed of light in miles per second. Need more? The Earth is travelling around the sun at a rate of 18.6 miles per second. Multiply that by 10,000, and guess what you get? The speed of light in miles per second. One more? The circumference of the Sun is approximately 2.71 million miles. It turns out that 2.71 in the math world is as unique and as essential as the value pi (3.14).
Perhaps some mysteries are not meant to be solved, just appreciated.
“Coincidences are god's way of remaining anonymous.”
~Albert Einstein
