We sent a camera to space to film the solar eclipse

In just a couple of seconds Spain is about to get its first total solar eclipse in over 100 years. And we're here with NASA to film it from space. But we almost didn't do this video because it turns out there are a great couple videos on solar eclipses on YouTube, and we just thought we couldn't add anything. But then we started looking.

and we just thought we couldn't add anything. But then we started looking. [laughs] my God, that's insane! And it turns out... , I can't, I just gotta go watch this. That's insane. So, Henry, Emilia and I still had some unanswered questions like, why is the Northern Hemisphere

some unanswered questions like, why is the Northern Hemisphere getting more total eclipses than the southern hemisphere? Why does the sun suddenly turn white only during pure totality? And how come we still haven't figured out what causes these elusive shadow bands on the ground? , that's so weird.

these elusive shadow bands on the ground? , that's so weird. Okay, so we are on the way to Burgos, Spain, because it's going to be right in the center of the moon's shadow. So perfect for totality. And we're also meeting up with NASA and a bunch of other science groups because they're launching a couple of balloons up to the edge of space. So they will be filming the eclipse,

because they're launching a couple of balloons up to the edge of space. So they will be filming the eclipse, and hopefully they can answer some of our questions. Vamos! my God! It's getting occluded, no! Angela? - Yes. , lovely to meet you.

It's getting occluded, no! Angela? - Yes. , lovely to meet you. I’m Emilia. , so nice to meet you. This is Gregor. Nice to meet you, thanks for having us. So, can I ask you? Yeah. Are those total solar eclipses on your toes? Yes. Totally geeking it up. Yeah, I guess, first question right off the bat. How many eclipses have you seen? So this will be my fourth eclipse

How many eclipses have you seen? So this will be my fourth eclipse and the third total eclipse. There's lots of folks here who have seen many more than me. Eight or even as many as 12. That's crazy. So how rare is it that Spain is getting two total solar eclipses in less than 12 months? If you picked any random point on any place on the earth,

If you picked any random point on any place on the earth, it's about every 300 years that the eclipse will repeat there. But then there are some places, , where there happens to be occurrences, because there is a pattern to the eclipses. You can see one of those patterns if you map out the paths of all total solar eclipses

You can see one of those patterns if you map out the paths of all total solar eclipses between 2000 BCE and 3000 CE. Notice that the Northern Hemisphere consistently gets more eclipses, about 15% more than the Southern Hemisphere. Now for there to be a total solar eclipse where the moon completely covers the sun,

Now for there to be a total solar eclipse where the moon completely covers the sun, you want it to be bigger than the sun in the sky. Now, the biggest factor for that is the moon's elliptical orbit. Sometimes it's further from the Earth, sometimes closer. So over the course of the month, its apparent area increases by up to 30%. But the Earth's orbit around the sun is also elliptical.

But the Earth's orbit around the sun is also elliptical. So from our point of view, the sun's area is about 7% smaller in July than it is in January. Which means there is a higher chance of a total solar eclipse around July. But that's also when it's mostly the north half of Earth that is tilted towards the sun, the Northern Hemisphere summer.

that is tilted towards the sun, the Northern Hemisphere summer. So that's where the total eclipses tend to fall. Now the Southern Hemisphere is going to get more annular eclipses where the moon is slightly smaller than the sun so you have this ring of sunlight around it. And that's because during the southern summer the sun is closer.

And that's because during the southern summer the sun is closer. All of this is going to flip, because the Earth precesses around its axis and its elliptical orbit also slowly shifts around the sun. In about 9500 years, it will be the Southern Hemisphere that gets more total solar eclipses. Now, there is another interesting pattern that shows up when you look at all

Now, there is another interesting pattern that shows up when you look at all types of solar eclipses, including annular and partial ones too. So I crunched some numbers, like 5000 years of eclipses. And if you look at how many happened per year, there's never a year without some solar eclipse, which feels mind boggling.

without some solar eclipse, which feels mind boggling. You at least have to get two and sometimes you can get five. How do you get five? - Yeah, yeah I know. Check this out, so: The moon's orbit is tilted about five degrees out of the Earth sun plane. So most times the moon passes in front of the sun It's at the wrong height to cast a shadow on Earth.

So most times the moon passes in front of the sun It's at the wrong height to cast a shadow on Earth. And that's why we don't get a solar eclipse every month. But there are these two nodes along the moon's orbit where it does cross the Earth-Sun plane. And throughout the year, both of these nodes are going to land nicely in between the Earth and the Sun.

And throughout the year, both of these nodes are going to land nicely in between the Earth and the Sun. This happens about six months apart, and it opens a window of around 34 days where solar eclipses become possible. And these are called eclipse seasons. This is huge window to get eclipses. - Yeah. So as long as you get a new moon somewhere inside of this eclipse window,

So as long as you get a new moon somewhere inside of this eclipse window, you get an eclipse. But it turns out you have to get at least one. The reason is the eclipse season is 34 days, but a new moon happens every 29.5 days. Of course. So you can't go through an eclipse season without the new moon happening at least once.

So you can't go through an eclipse season without the new moon happening at least once. However you roll the dice, it always has to land inside the eclipse season at least once. So you always get two a year. Great. Yeah right? Now, if the new moon falls towards the middle of an eclipse season, it usually produces a total or an annular eclipse,

it usually produces a total or an annular eclipse, and you can only fit one of those types of eclipses into a season. So you can get about two per year. Yeah, this doesn't seem rare, definitely not once in a lifetime. Yeah, but it gets worse because if you also count partial eclipses, those happen more towards the edges. And because they happen to the edges.

partial eclipses, those happen more towards the edges. And because they happen to the edges. You can get two in a single eclipse season. Or you can get four a year. But wait, then how do you get five? Yeah. The thing is, the eclipse seasons themselves also drift around the Earth's orbit. So if you start on January 1st and you get an eclipse really, really soon into the year,

So if you start on January 1st and you get an eclipse really, really soon into the year, you can hit like a partial and then another partial. And then as you're moving, these eclipse seasons are shifting. So you get another one and another one and then you think you're done. But the eclipse season has already shifted into December. And then you get a final one. So you can get up to five. Woah.

And then you get a final one. So you can get up to five. Woah. Okay, wait, I realized I forgot to tell you my favorite fact out of this, out of this whole discussion, and that's that if you look at the eclipse season, when the eclipse happens, the solar eclipse here, and you rewind by about two weeks,

you'll realize that now the Earth is in between the sun and the moon. So you get a lunar eclipse. So you get a lunar eclipse, which means every time there is a solar eclipse, it is accompanied by a lunar eclipse either two weeks before or after. , that's so cool. Yeah. So there's one happening in two weeks.

, that's so cool. Yeah. So there's one happening in two weeks. , amazing. Yeah, yeah, it's really cool. I tried to find an answer to this question, but if you look at timelapses taken during the eclipse. You'll see that the partial parts are usually like yellowish in color. And then the totality is white. If you Google on Google you get like a little animation and it turns white.