35.1174, Fun Fact: Total Solar Eclipse

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-35-1174. Tue Apr 09 2024. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 35.1174, Fun Fact: Total Solar Eclipse

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Team: Helen Aristar-Dry, Steven Franks, Everett Green, Daniel Swanson, Maria Lucero Guillen Puon, Zackary Leech, Lynzie Coburn, Natasha Singh, Erin Steitz
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Date: 09-Apr-2024
From: Erin Steitz [ensteitz at linguistlist.org]
Subject: Fun Fact: Total Solar Eclipse


Dear Linguist List readers,

A truly remarkable event unfolded above the Linguist List office
today. At precisely 3:05 pm EST, a chill swept through the air as the
moon slid in front of the sun, casting a shadow over all in the path
of totality. Yet, amidst this celestial dance, the sun's brilliance
pierced through, illuminating the edges of the moon in a breathtaking
display of light and shadow.

During the period of totality in a total solar eclipse, our vision
shifts from bright, detailed photopic vision to scotopic night vision
as the light from the sun fades and is obscured by the moon. This
causes a shift from reliance on cone cells to rod cells due to the low
light. In between the moment that scotopic vision fully takes over, a
new kind of vision, mesopic vision, bridges these modes, blending cone
and rod cell activity. During an eclipse's dimming, longer-wavelength
colors like red appear darker due to reduced cone cell activity, while
shorter blue-green wavelengths become more noticeable thanks to the
sensitivity of rod cells. This causes a unique phenomenon between the
perception of red and green colors.

This phenomenon is also known as the Purkinje effect. Discovered
roughly 200 years ago by Johannes Evangelista Purkinje, the Purkinje
effect, also known as the Purkinje phenomenon or shift, describes the
movement of the brightest spot in dimming light passing through a
prism, shifting away from red towards the shorter blue wavelengths.
This effect has been extensively studied over the years, notably
during the 1919 total solar eclipse, which provided crucial data
supporting Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. The dimming
effect becomes more apparent approximately 15 minutes before the
eclipse reaches totality, often giving the light a metallic or silvery
hue to observers.

This year, our fund drive at the Linguist List focuses on the theme of
Reflection and Mirrors, echoing the ways in which light bends and
changes during phenomena like solar eclipses. Just as the Purkinje
effect demonstrates the dynamic nature of light perception, our fund
drive aims to reflect the diverse perspectives and ideas within the
linguistic community. Your donations support our mission of promoting
linguistic research and education, ensuring that the light of
knowledge continues to shine brightly.

Join us in embracing the spirit of reflection and mirroring by
contributing to our fund drive today! Please consider making a
donation at the following link:
https://funddrive.linguistlist.org/donate. Every dollar counts and
makes a difference!

With gratitude,

The Linguist List Team



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LINGUIST List: Vol-35-1174
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