2024-03-28 20:30:53
As North America prepares for a total solar eclipse next April 8, pages and accounts on social media are circulating false claims that are spreading in several languages around the world.
Publications widely circulated in recent days stated, “A rare solar eclipse lasts three days, during which the Earth is plunged into complete darkness.”
The publications added that the eclipse “will turn day into night,” and that the whole world will witness the eclipse on “this historic day.”
These posts garnered thousands of shares and interactions on social media sites in several languages around the world.
Amateurs and scientists are awaiting this event, given that a total solar eclipse does not always occur again, which gives them the opportunity to further delve into the study of the heliosphere and the atmosphere of planet Earth, in addition to studying the effect of this cosmic phenomenon on the behavior of some animals, birds, and insects.
Misleading posts
But the publications included incorrect and exaggerated information.
The eclipse will be seen in North America, passing through Mexico, the United States and Canada only, according to NASA. This contradicts what the publications suggest that darkness will cover all of the planet Earth due to the eclipse.
On the other hand, day will not turn into night as the publications claimed, according to scientists.
“The sky won’t turn black,” says Robert Simcoe, director of MIT’s Astrophysics and Space Research Institute.
He added in a statement to the news investigation service at Agence France-Presse, “The moon will obscure the disk of the sun during the eclipse, but the light will not disappear completely. The situation will be like a sunset moment in the middle of the day.”
While the publications said that the eclipse would last three or five days, NASA said that the maximum duration of the eclipse would be four minutes and 28 seconds, and this would be specifically in Torreon, Mexico.
Experts denied the validity of the warnings circulating about the necessity of staying at home or not traveling.
On the other hand, scientists warn of the danger of looking directly at the sun without using special lenses or binoculars.
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