During a solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, causing its shadow to fall on a specific region of the Earth's surface. The interaction between the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth leads to a significant change in the distribution of light, resulting in a few noticeable phenomena:
Partial Eclipse: In regions where the solar eclipse is partial, the Moon partially obscures the Sun. As a result, the overall brightness of the surroundings decreases, and the sunlight appears dimmer than usual. However, some sunlight still manages to pass around the edges of the Moon, causing the landscape to be illuminated, though with reduced intensity.
Total Eclipse: In the path of a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun, blocking its direct light. During this phase, the sky darkens dramatically, and the landscape experiences a twilight-like illumination. Only the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the solar corona, is visible as a faint, glowing halo surrounding the Moon. The corona emits a faint light, giving the surroundings an eerie, ethereal appearance.
Shadow Bands: Just before and after the total phase of a solar eclipse, some observers may notice bands of faint, wavy patterns of light and shadow, known as shadow bands or shadow snakes. These bands appear to move rapidly across the ground or other surfaces, resembling ripples in water or the effect of sunlight passing through moving leaves. Shadow bands are caused by the Earth's atmosphere acting as a lens, refracting the Sun's light due to atmospheric turbulence.
It's important to note that looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse, even during a partial eclipse, can be extremely harmful to the eyes. Proper eye protection, such as specialized solar eclipse glasses or filters, should always be used to observe the eclipse safely.