• The umbral shadow during a full eclipse is narrow – about 0.3% of the earth’s entire surface, or 70 miles
  • On average, a total eclipse is visible from any one spot on earth once every 375 years
  • Most US residents live within 1 day’s drive of the path of the total eclipse earlier this week
  • A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on earth about every 18 months
  • As eclipse totality ends the brilliant burst of sunlight that appears along the edge of the sun is known as the diamond ring effect
  • In 585 BC a total eclipse occurred during a war in Turkey which the two armies interpreted as a sign to lay down their weapons and make peace
  • The normal period of eclipse totality is 2-3 minutes, but in 1973 a Concorde flew at 1,250 mph to stay inside the moon’s shadow for 74 minutes
  • A total solar eclipse is the only time the sun’s faint corona is visible from earth