The Endless Journey of Our Sun

You may have heard that a total solar eclipse will occur in the northern hemisphere on August 21, 2017. Our ancient ancestors saw a total solar eclipse November 30, 3340 BC. This event was so spectacular that the Irish created 100 different monuments to record this amazing event. What were they thinking when they recorded this incredible event on stones?

The August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse will last only two minutes and 40 seconds. We are not sure how long the eclipse in 3340 BC lasted, but it lasted long enough to make a huge impression on the people who were watching. We will be the ancestors who recorded this eclipse throughout the world. What will future generations think about how we recorded this amazing event?

Our future holds another solar eclipse on July 16, 2186 AD. This eclipse will be in the southern hemisphere and will last for seven minutes and 29 seconds. This will be one of the longest total solar eclipses between the dates of 4000 BC and 8000 AD, a span of 12,000 years.

Our satellites, cameras, and video have come a long way from recording solar eclipses on stones. Will any of our recordings survive until 2186 AD? Maybe we need to record our solar eclipse on stones too!