Science: Solar Eclipse 科學: 日全食

Across Asia many people have just witnessed the natural wonder that is a total solar eclipse.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth align in such a way that our view of the Sun is totally obscured by the Moon.

This week's total eclipse could be seen in eastern India before slowly moving across Burma, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Japan, and the Pacific Ocean.

Yesterday, when it reached eastern China, people flocked into the streets to witness the astronomical wonder.

As daylight disappeared and the sky quickly darkened, those watching were left far from disappointed. Cities such as Shanghai were plunged into darkness during what is thought be the longest total eclipse of the 21st century. It lasted 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

Total solar eclipses of such a long duration are very rare events, they happen butonce in a lifetime. Shao Zhenyi, an astronomer at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory in China explained:

"We'll have to wait a few hundred years for another opportunity to observe a solar eclipse that lasts this long, so it's a very special opportunity."

But while millions celebrate this phenomenon, it should be remembered that total eclipses have not always been such treasured events.

Many cultures traditionally believed that a total eclipse was a bad omen or a supernatural event. Some believed that evil gods were eating the Sun. Others believed that the eclipse signified oncoming disasters.

Nowadays it appears that these fears and superstitions are long forgotten. As daylight once again flooded Asian cities such as Shanghai, whoops and cheers could be heard among the gathered crowds.

Reflecting on what had just happened, one Shanghai resident described the eclipse as "eerie", whilst another said "It's like magic, the day turns into night in such a short period of time. I have no idea where I am right now. It feels like a different world."

單詞
natural wonder自然奇觀
total solar eclipse日全食
obscured 遮蓋， 遮掩
flocked 涌入
astronomical 天文的
far from disappointed 沒有覺得失望
plunged into darkness陷入黑暗
rare 罕見的
but once in a lifetime一生一次，形容千載難逢的機會
astronomer 天文學家
observatory 天文臺
phenomenon 現象，奇跡
bad omen 兇兆
supernatural 超自然的
evil 邪惡的
oncoming 即將來臨的
fears and superstitions 恐懼和迷信
(daylight) flooded日光照亮了
whoops and cheers起哄和歡呼聲
eerie 怪誕的，奇異的

注:文章內容選自BBC UK CHINA,轉載請注明出處