EvC Forum: The Eclipse Conspiracy

So I know there's a lot of people interested in science here, by the nature of the forum. Does anyone have the background in astronomy to explain to me why I never see an eclipse?

They effect only a small region, and its a big planet - mostly covered in water and mostly not near you.

I recall, all the way back in 1999, that there was excitement about an eclipse in Europe, but this was only a 'partial eclipse' (not sure if that referred only to the particular part of Europe I happened to be in). I recall that it was cloudy, and it got a bit dimmer. I was underwhelmed.

I travelled a few hundred miles south west to The Lizard and watched totality. It was awesome. It was merely a partial in Manchester.

Nothing since then. I figured we should know in advance about this things, so I looked for and found a map of solar eclipses predicted over the next decade. The US had two to look forward to in this time period - in 2023 and 2024 (if you happen to be in Illinois, it looks like you're the lucky ones who get a good view of both).

The US Is a big place. From one end to another is twice as far as you would have to have travelled from Prague to come see the eclipse in 1999 from where I saw it in the UK. You could have popped over to Salzburg and seen totality - I think that would have been less travelling than I had to do for you.

A human only generally lives long enough for the earth to experience 50 or 60 eclipses, and you've probably missed the closest one to you in your lifetime.

However, there is nothing anywhere near me. How is that Washington, Illinois and some remote spots in the ocean get two eclipses in a decade, while I see none despite several decades of life. Am I just unlucky in timing, or is there actually some reason that Europe is less likely to fall in the path of an eclipse?

Just unlucky. But then most people are, in that regard. That's why seeing one in person is a big deal -> It usually requires planning and prep and money - or just having the dumb luck to live at the right time in the right place.

Solar Saros 136 - Wikipedia

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