good evening y’all I’m dr. Jada Eisler a
National Geographic Explorer and an
observational astrophysicist
we’re here in Terrebonne Oregon over my
shoulder is Monkeyface where earlier
today climbers were getting high so they
could see the views of this beautiful
Central Oregon region tomorrow we’re
getting even higher 35,000 feet to view
the total solar eclipse we cannot wait
legit super excited but before that
tonight we’re here at this special
Airbnb listing live from it actually to
talk to our winners who you’ll meet in
just a second we’re so excited can’t
wait to talk to you to them to all the
peoples about the solar eclipse so
without further ado let’s get into this
special listing and see who we’ve got on
this page in the meantime make sure you
ask some questions
act like you’re here at the table so
here are awesome winners this will be
Maya we’re gonna talk more to them in a
second and hear formally about them and
this is my buddy back we’re gonna be
hanging out telling you all kinds of
science facts nerding out doing all the
things but it’s really important that we
just get into it right now so let’s get
this party started
hi Beck so thank you don’t tell us who
you are all about you
well I’m Bob except for a sheave
photographer for National Geographic is
specialized in nicest guy imaging like
like night night everything at night and
I’m the founder of program called the
world at night nice so I’m a fan of
astronomy eclipse chasers since 95 so
this would be my 13 Eclipse 1313 but the
first one on India so that’s that’s
quite different from that altitude but
let’s just start by yeah so our lovely
guests are from Southern California
they’re the great winner of Airbnb night
at contest thing from over 50,000 enter
as a bunch of people and we know many
many of you applied so wonderfully say
yeah the connection to universe
how excited are y’all to be here tonight
I am so excited this is a once-in- light
it really yeah now I don’t know about
you but I had planned the West solar
eclipse partly the astrophysics thing
kind of giving but also just because
it’s cool but did you ever imagine you
will be watching a solar eclipse from I
didn’t it wasn’t something I was gonna
dream about because they didn’t know its
possibility what about you Rupert what
are you thinking who came up with this
idea absolutely just flabbergasted and
just honored to be chosen to be here and
and and flattered and just and just
overwhelmed so on our backdrop I’m not
sure if you mentioned it here but it’s
the Smith Rock State Park so all these
natural rock formations part of the prog
we are not inside but we’re facing a
beautiful panoramic view this is Kobe in
the shadow of the moon tomorrow by 10:00
around 10:00 in the morning and you
would know because isn’t part of the
work you do to take images of the sky
from really scenic place yes so my work
is connection between Earth and sky I’d
like to show the night sky which
foreground that is familiar to people so
they can connect with science yeah
through this that’s a way of science
communication that’s true and you know
it’s interesting I feel like you two are
representing both yourselves and also
the sort of many thousands probably
millions of people that are gonna be
watching this eclipse right yeah and
it’s it’s this thing that brings us
together it’s the thing that brought the
four of us here to sit and talk and so
we certainly want to talk about that we
want y’all to ask us about that but
let’s dig into some scientist ask you
something about the Eclipse however they
are and what is really the science
information that we are going to get
from what why is it so important to
astronomers yeah are they really rare
they you know solar total solar eclipses
are actually pretty weird there are only
a couple every few years you expect to
see some solar eclipses every every year
because it’s you know sort of the Sun
and the moon orbiting but total solar
eclipses are special right because
that special moment where the moon’s
orbit aligns with our orbit aligns with
the sun’s orbit and you get this perfect
straight line shot it’s really amazing
so that’s actually very rare and it’s
also very rare to have it be in a place
that people can see right so 70% of our
planet is made of water so the ocean
gets to see quite a bit of it and it’s
awesome but have this special moment
where we can see it and not just we
sitting here in Oregon beautiful Central
Oregon by the way but also a large swath
of the u.s. we’ll get to see it yeah
it’s a special over for the shadow of
the moon to start from Oregon Coast all
the way to South Carolina and at the
crazy speed of 2500 miles – $1,500 so
this is four to six times the speed of
sound
yeah it’s truck that’s why we cannot
hatch
we cannot chase the shadow on our plane
tomorrow the shadow just goes over
but speaking of eclipses being rare you
know in fact if you we just sit on one
point and wait for the solar eclipses a
long time 330 years yeah there are
places in the US two of them in
particular that haven’t seen a total
solar eclipse in a thousand years
yeah that’s why because the path is very
small it’s very narrow it’s quite long
but very narrow less than 100 miles
usually for this one is about 60 to 70
miles so it’s easy to miss a total solar
eclipse not a partial one but total one
that’s why it’s called
once-in-a-lifetime experience unless you
travel technically I mean the last time
we’ve had a total solar eclipse over the
US was just under a hundred years ago so
I mean if you eat your vitamins each of
veggies you know work out real well you
can see more than one so we’ll start now
you and me another coast to coast yeah I
know it was the previous one in the US
was 1979 I was one year old I wasn’t I
was not here yeah so but it’s still you
know it’s four decades of no eclipse no
total eclipse with such a large
so that’s why this eclipse is so
important to people of this country also
important to many others coming from
international nations because it’s a
it’s an eclipse during the summer it’s
pretty long two minutes yeah it could be
up to seven but even two minutes it’s
quite easy yeah don’t get people excited
they are not two minutes do most people
who observe the Eclipse for the first
time it looks like two seconds it’s
quick so don’t plan too much for the
Eclipse you know people plan for all
sorts of imaging with six cameras and
when it happens yeah they’re just
they’re like a caveman open you can’t do
anything because some people well yeah
because sometimes only deep inside us
are affected by the Eclipse absolutely
100% right Lake I want to ask my and
Rupert if you all had any questions
about the Eclipse in particular because
we don’t mind just about facts that you
we want to know if you were thinking
there was there anything about the
Eclipse that you wanted to know well my
question was answered how rare is it
yeah pretty rare year but it’s rare to
see from your location yeah but one
thing that that you said which which
really resonated with me was to not get
carried away with trying to take photos
of it yeah you know if you just live if
you just look at it with your own two
eyes through the glasses yeah you know
that probably will resonate and be the
most memorable memorable experience
you’ll have yeah yeah highly recommended
not spending the whole time through your
you know looking at your cell phone it’s
an interesting thing right we live in
such a connected time that it seems like
you just want to snap it yeah got to get
it you got to do it but there’s so much
about the fact that Mother Nature is
putting on a show for us and we should
be there to watch it and there will be
plenty of people you’ve got us covered
right you’re gonna get plenty of
pictures for us yes I’m going to station
two cameras down here and two in the
plane so we will have all sorts of
images close-up views and white field
views as the shadow
approaches but another thing I’d like to
mention to you especially to hire the
the current young generation is also
called the Eclipse generation in the US
because in the next 35 years we are
going to have five total solar eclipses
in the US this this century is quite we
made a plan earlier that we’re gonna
watch to the next one to 2024 24 2024
it’s gonna happen in the Northeast US so
you’re from Boston so you can just go
visit your family there’ll be one over
the northeastern United man that’s the
next one you’ll want to see is in April
2024 don’t miss it but yeah there are
many coming behind it so if you can’t
make this one tomorrow you really should
you can make the one in 2024 it’s
definitely not gonna be in a what is the
one most important science part about
eclipse that astronomers are chasing it
so well I mean we we chase anything in
the sky we just indiscriminately it’s
awesome I mean black holes aren’t the
coolest thing to be clear that’s my job
but there are many things are still left
to know by setting the Eclipse my
favorite fact actually is that we proved
Einstein’s theory of general relativity
using in eclipse which i think is super
cool yeah 1918 Einstein was out talking
about all the things with general
relativity and people were like push ah
that’s not true and so what they did was
they need it you either need something
very massive or you need highly precise
instruments so what they had was
something very massive in the Sun and
they had the moon crossing in front of
it and basically what happened was there
was a star cluster behind the Eclipse
and general relativity argues that very
massive things bend space-time and so
there is a precise measurement of how
much less our light which would have
been bent if general relativity were
true as opposed to Newton’s law and they
the eclipse happened everybody was in
shock and awe and then they did the
results and they found out general
activity was right a star was born an
interesting is that it was found out
British astronomer for German scientists
during the peak of the war yes so that
shows how Eclipse or science in general
can bring people together and break the
political boundaries that’s really cool
what you said there I think I understood
I don’t think I actually understood
about 75% of that’s really proud of
myself now I mean that was that’s my
favorite sort of like historical science
but there is still ongoing science that
we’re learning right now right there’s
stuff you can learn about the Sun so you
can only see the corona when the went
well with some blocking technology in
this case we have the moon to do it for
us so you can see learn things about the
corona and why it’s a million times
hotter than the sun’s surface we still
don’t know the answer to that question
we constantly see the outer corona by
satellites but not the inner ones so
that’s why it’s also important to
astronomers to capture the inner corona
and then complete it by the satellite
view from the outer Crone
that’s why it’s even available for
amateur astronomers to take precise
images and share it with scientists to
complete this view of the Sun atmosphere
really so an amateur photographer or
astronomer could could actually
contribute us yeah yeah the overall
knowledge and in fact many are there are
these studies that are going on folks
are trying to understand the ionosphere
and how like one of the outer layers or
our atmosphere works it helps us bounce
radio waves across the globe so like
these are still questions that you could
today decide oh I want I guess you could
to reproduce totally you communicate
fight I want to participate I want to
know this thing and it would be a place
for you so there is active ongoing
science in addition to there being awe
and and sort of the wonderment of the
universe if there is actual science they
are speaking about eclipses one part for
general public about the fascinating and
dramatic change of light that we see so
if all part of nature reacts to Eclipse
during totality in partial you don’t see
much you don’t see any changes but in a
total eclipse especially the last two
minutes before totality the change of
light is not linear it just dropped
all the sudden so it surprised everybody
because you look around and almost fine
of course the shadows are very sharp
when we get close to totality but that
last two-minute really surprisingly
change everything and you see the birds
are flying back to the nest mosquito or
flying answer coming out and then
absolute silence during totality unless
people are screaming five to fifteen
degrees for a night we have change of
temperature during totality you you feel
the wind and breeze or some clouds
forming sometimes due to totality so a
lot of changes happening so up here
where it’s where it where we have a lot
not a lot of light pollution and the
moon actually completely blocks out the
Sun it will be totally dark yeah so part
of the reason you see the stars that’s
because the Sun is behind the earth and
so you it’s coming dark nighttime okay
that’s not you’re not gonna get quite
that same effect but I just want to
remind us where we are we’re here in
Terrebonne Oregon hanging out with
Rupert and Maya here who have won the
nat geo and Airbnb solar eclipse prize
we’re still very excited about that
um let me just get some questions from
online so one of the questions from Gabe
is why can’t the solar eclipse be seen
from everywhere that’s a great question
and it has to do with the fact that
you’re really standing in the moon’s
shadow and while the moon it can cast a
shadow on the earth based on its
location from the Sun and what the
Earth’s location from it’s that shadow
size depends on the location so it’s
like when you stand in the shadow of a
building right like where the Sun is
determines where that shadow is and so
you don’t get a full coverage there are
just certain regions based on the actual
orbits and how far they are from one
another that allow you to see them so
it’s it’s sadly not there for everybody
but it’s it’s basically sitting in the
moon shadow now one thing that is
science that I think I mean that was
science too one thing that’s that’s also
interesting in terms of science is the
fact that this time like astronomically
speaking is a special time to see the
Eclipse so
where we’re about the Sun is about 400
times from the 400 times larger than the
moon and the moon is about 400 times
closer so that’s why the moon right now
can actually block the Sun such a
coincidence otherwise we couldn’t see we
couldn’t see if you went fifteen
thousand years back in time it wasn’t a
total solar eclipse and if you go
fifteen thousand years in front forward
in time it wouldn’t be a solar eclipse
because the moon is just slightly moving
out every year from the earth and so at
some point six hundred million years
from now I think it is actually because
fourteen thousand miles a year we won’t
even get total eclipses it’s really
really really special so let’s get to
another question I guess this is for you
and I but back when how old were we the
first time we thought we wanted to be a
scientist oh I was 13 when I got my
first astronomy book and I realized this
is my passion I didn’t become a
scientist I studied physics and
continued as a science journalist I
became a bridge between scientists and
general public yeah yeah so I became a
bridge to in a different way so I got my
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
physics
I studied astronomy and I do
astrophysics now and I also do stuff
like this cuz I’m really interested in
talking to y’all about cool things in
space black holes next time promise um
so we’ve got a lot of footage and you
know one of the things we talked about
with science but we also want to talk
about the work you do and the images you
do because the other very important
thing about the solar eclipse is it
bring folks together so maybe you could
walk us through some of the images you
see you talked about did just a few just
a few from the 13 so why don’t you walk
us through some of your images
sure sure I’d like to just answer Rupert
question on the Eclipse unit because you
you asked a very good question I’m going
to show it on one of the pictures later
on okay but let’s first start with this
one this was the first major Eclipse ISO
yeah it was in 1999 and it’s exactly 18
years ago it was in Iran the diamond
ring with the clouds around it yeah so
every 18 years the Eclipse returns
that’s called Sorrows we know it from
Babylonian time 2,500 years ago and this
is the same Eclipse coming now the last
one was in Europe and Iran Middle East
but now this one is mainly in the US
only in the US the next one could you
refresh your hair your your screams we
could I make sure we get all of that and
while we’re doing that let me just
remind y’all that tomorrow will be
having live coverage of the Eclipse from
NatGeo and Airbnb so really want to make
sure you get to see that and while he’s
doing that lemme answer are you ready
good no okay let me answer another
question so a lot of y’all are asking
about safety we’re definitely gonna have
an extended conversation about safety
but here’s the view number one do not
look directly at the Sun we’re not gonna
do that
no looking directly at the Sun you need
to have solar eclipse glasses your
sunglasses do not count so please don’t
just look at the Sun with your
sunglasses so what you want to do the
only moment where it’s okay to actually
look at the Sun or look at this hope
totally because it’s during totality and
be very careful in that moment but
best-case scenario is always wear your
solar eclipse classes but back what do
you got so here is when the Eclipse is
not total but it’s actually a total
eclipse but the moon is not large enough
to to show the corona to cover the
complete Sun that’s called the annular
eclipse I captured this one in Spain
2005 the sequence of leaves it’s a
sequence of seven images right before a
couple of minutes before totality and a
couple of minutes after including the
corona during the meet totally amazing
some people are just chasing eclipses
much more than me this person on board
the cruise ship is just showing all the
eclipses from 1970s to now that he have
changed in all continents
so the eclipses took me to all
continents two to seven of them but not
all of them were successful okay so this
one in on Antarctica in 2003 shows me
and group of fifty sixty thousand
penguins so the king penguins are here
and it’s a very good question
actually that was the most memorable
part of the trail because I was
documenting this for a TV series and I
was hoping to show how the Penguins are
reacting they showed zero reaction look
during totality they were the only one
with zero reaction that is so fun the
Eclipse has also took me to Central
American Amazonia this is with a group
of people in Panama and we were trying
to tell them what is going to happen in
the next couple of days with the Eclipse
coming this one was in the middle of the
Pacific Ocean
that was the longest total solar eclipse
in 21st century we saw it for six
minutes 14 seconds it was long enough to
read a newspaper article the same moment
with a telescope on board the ship and
then in 2013 13 I went to northern Kenya
three days on a very rough road to Lake
Turkana on northern side which is also
known as the Cradle of Humankind yeah
but unfortunately just half an hour
before eclipse we had a sandstorm
it was completely clear sky I don’t know
the southern sandstorm so that was the
only thing I saw a little bit of partial
eclipse that’s it
well let me ask you this that seems sad
we will get above the clouds this time
yes um but back let me ask you this
question and it’s gonna be our sort of
last little segment before I will have
to say go back but one of the questions
is it just you’ve seen so many do you
feel like they’ve changed you and maybe
you could talk specifically about
how they have functioned to bring people
together in your journeys oh yes
definitely first they have changed me
because every time you see it as I said
something very deep inside you react
yeah and you feel you have received so
much positive energy from the Eclipse
that you are energized for the next few
years so it’s good to see an eclipse
every now under things that you think of
yourself as somebody who can control all
your emotions but forget about that
during the Eclipse I have seen during my
last Eclipse in Indonesia my hand was
shaking after eleven eclipses on my
twelve my hand was shaking I couldn’t
hold the camera yeah during the talk I
decided to do hand-held photography I
don’t recommend this is such an
emotional experience well today cameras
are sensitive enough to capture the
image handheld during totality back to
your question it’s as bright as the full
moon even a slightly brighter because
the corona of the Sun is brighter than
the full moon so you only see a few
stars like a deep Twilight so it’s
possible to do hand lit handheld
photography but I recommend you use a
tripod for sure one of the things I do
want to make sure we get the fifty yeah
I was telling you before about using
solar eclipse classes it’s something you
want to make sure you have we’ve got
them covered y’all are good totally
solid covered but you want to make sure
you have something for safety nothing
other than approved total solar eclipse
classes will work the one thing that I
want to make sure we get you though
beyond you wearing your glasses is that
you can use pinhole projectors if you
want to do that when people are when
you’re together if you got a large group
people you want to view it together you
can do that if you want to see some of
the shadow bands you can put down paper
and you’ll see those in the in the
background but please don’t look
directly at the Sun also take this
opportunity to get to know someone you
don’t know this is a magical moment that
allow you to get to know some people
that you might not know to get to know
people you know a little bit better it
brings people together it’s
part of the work that I do I’m an
astrophysicist I kind of like science
communication
I’m also very passionate about making
sure that anyone who’s interested even a
little bit in stem or steam or steam
labs or 3d printing gets an opportunity
to do it so make sure that you’re taking
this opportunity to get together with
other people to engage folks that you
might not otherwise and maybe we can see
a little bit of change in us at the same
time we’re seeing the nature do the
thing
so please do be sure I’d like to
emphasize on the point of safety if
you’re using a telescope or a telephoto
lens
remember the filter should be definitely
in front not in the eyepiece so the one
of the most dangerous things that some
people try is to wear one of the Eclipse
glasses and look through a binocular
without protection in front so that
doesn’t work the protection should be in
front on top of the binocular or a
telescope and during totality we don’t
need any Eclipse glasses we don’t need
any filter in fact if you have a filter
for photography you need to remove it 5
seconds 10 seconds before totality and
get ready for it with the filter you’re
not going to capture anything of the
solar corona and that’s the most tricky
part because if you forget that with all
the emotion reaction you will miss the
image yeah during totality so it’s so
dark that we don’t need that filter and
it’s totally safe at the moment there’s
many concerns on media that eclipse is
going to damage the eyes that’s true but
that shouldn’t prevent us from going out
because some people might just see it in
indoor indoor and watch watch it through
a TV that’s not a good idea you’re on
the totality path you should experience
it yourself but when is when do you put
the glasses back on again as soon as you
start seeing them yes the diamond range
that’s the effect that the first light
of the Sun is coming out or the last
rays of the Sun before totality so
that’s called the diamond ring I have a
picture of that to show you in fact here
is the diamond ring the diamond ring
that bobak is talking about are called
Baily’s beads and that is enough
fact where the sunlight comes through
the valleys and mountains on the moon
and that’s what we see so that’s what
you’re thinking after the diamond ring
if you have a pair of binoculars you can
clearly see it or even with the eyes you
definitely see in fact for those people
who are on the edge of the path that’s
the place to see very strong Bailey’s
piece for a long time like we’ve seen it
Sam Louie or the Kansas City these are
places that people can actually see the
Bailey’s beats for a long time anywhere
near the edge so it’s not always the
best to go to the center line that’s
best to see the longest ability right
but not some of the side phenomena right
exactly there’s a lot to see what the
Eclipse and just to be clear if you
don’t have solar eclipse glasses then
you can do projection so like by Beck
said you don’t have to not see the
Eclipse because you don’t have the
glasses do it in projection Google
pinhole projector and I’ll show you how
to do it it’s two pieces of paper one
has a hole in it projected on the other
and you can see the Eclipse don’t miss
out because you don’t have glasses yeah
I’d like to also mention under the trees
like this picture here you see a lot of
credence Suns during we don’t have a
tree on the plane but on your next
Eclipse you can try it so for anybody so
between the leaves we have a lot of
pinhole cameras because there are gaps
between the leaves of the trees so each
one of these gaps make one picture of
the Sun on a typical day we don’t really
care about this because they’re all
circle but during the Eclipse they’ve
become all Crescent Sun and it’s quite
it’s photogenic and it’s a very safe way
of feeling that’s beautiful that is such
a unique way of looking at photographing
the Eclipse now you can also have your
own cardboard and make your watch over
my head so these are this has been an
incredible time here in Terrebonne organ
in your special air via no rely from
your bedroom for the night and you were
saying that one of the things you’re
most excited about is just to stare out
at the sky tonight yeah
clear route it’s gonna be amazing I
counted the Milky Way yeah right I kind
of wish I could just like sit right on
the corner and just hang out watch it
this has been really awesome
are there any closing questions y’all
have for us wonderful we’re so so glad
to hear it so it’s been a blast here
Thank You NatGeo and Airbnb we’ve really
enjoyed this time together we cannot
wait to see you tomorrow will be at
35,000 feet
I mean wait wait wait wait wait let me
back up have y’all get time tonight yeah
we have to
we hope y’all viewing have had a great
time too tomorrow I’m pretty sure we’re
gonna have a little more fun this will
be at 35,000 feet watching the Eclipse
while we’re doing that right I know
every time I feel like what is happening
you should watch the live Nat Geo and
air BnB show I wear Terry Virts
and Cara Santa Maria will be hosting you
might even get a cameo from us too so
don’t miss it join us tomorrow to see
that show we’ve had a great time here in
tear of an Oregon thanks Airbnb thanks
Nat Geo
thanks about back thanks Rupert thanks
Maya thanks nice right good night
you
National Geographic Explorer and an
observational astrophysicist
we’re here in Terrebonne Oregon over my
shoulder is Monkeyface where earlier
today climbers were getting high so they
could see the views of this beautiful
Central Oregon region tomorrow we’re
getting even higher 35,000 feet to view
the total solar eclipse we cannot wait
legit super excited but before that
tonight we’re here at this special
Airbnb listing live from it actually to
talk to our winners who you’ll meet in
just a second we’re so excited can’t
wait to talk to you to them to all the
peoples about the solar eclipse so
without further ado let’s get into this
special listing and see who we’ve got on
this page in the meantime make sure you
ask some questions
act like you’re here at the table so
here are awesome winners this will be
Maya we’re gonna talk more to them in a
second and hear formally about them and
this is my buddy back we’re gonna be
hanging out telling you all kinds of
science facts nerding out doing all the
things but it’s really important that we
just get into it right now so let’s get
this party started
hi Beck so thank you don’t tell us who
you are all about you
well I’m Bob except for a sheave
photographer for National Geographic is
specialized in nicest guy imaging like
like night night everything at night and
I’m the founder of program called the
world at night nice so I’m a fan of
astronomy eclipse chasers since 95 so
this would be my 13 Eclipse 1313 but the
first one on India so that’s that’s
quite different from that altitude but
let’s just start by yeah so our lovely
guests are from Southern California
they’re the great winner of Airbnb night
at contest thing from over 50,000 enter
as a bunch of people and we know many
many of you applied so wonderfully say
yeah the connection to universe
how excited are y’all to be here tonight
I am so excited this is a once-in- light
it really yeah now I don’t know about
you but I had planned the West solar
eclipse partly the astrophysics thing
kind of giving but also just because
it’s cool but did you ever imagine you
will be watching a solar eclipse from I
didn’t it wasn’t something I was gonna
dream about because they didn’t know its
possibility what about you Rupert what
are you thinking who came up with this
idea absolutely just flabbergasted and
just honored to be chosen to be here and
and and flattered and just and just
overwhelmed so on our backdrop I’m not
sure if you mentioned it here but it’s
the Smith Rock State Park so all these
natural rock formations part of the prog
we are not inside but we’re facing a
beautiful panoramic view this is Kobe in
the shadow of the moon tomorrow by 10:00
around 10:00 in the morning and you
would know because isn’t part of the
work you do to take images of the sky
from really scenic place yes so my work
is connection between Earth and sky I’d
like to show the night sky which
foreground that is familiar to people so
they can connect with science yeah
through this that’s a way of science
communication that’s true and you know
it’s interesting I feel like you two are
representing both yourselves and also
the sort of many thousands probably
millions of people that are gonna be
watching this eclipse right yeah and
it’s it’s this thing that brings us
together it’s the thing that brought the
four of us here to sit and talk and so
we certainly want to talk about that we
want y’all to ask us about that but
let’s dig into some scientist ask you
something about the Eclipse however they
are and what is really the science
information that we are going to get
from what why is it so important to
astronomers yeah are they really rare
they you know solar total solar eclipses
are actually pretty weird there are only
a couple every few years you expect to
see some solar eclipses every every year
because it’s you know sort of the Sun
and the moon orbiting but total solar
eclipses are special right because
that special moment where the moon’s
orbit aligns with our orbit aligns with
the sun’s orbit and you get this perfect
straight line shot it’s really amazing
so that’s actually very rare and it’s
also very rare to have it be in a place
that people can see right so 70% of our
planet is made of water so the ocean
gets to see quite a bit of it and it’s
awesome but have this special moment
where we can see it and not just we
sitting here in Oregon beautiful Central
Oregon by the way but also a large swath
of the u.s. we’ll get to see it yeah
it’s a special over for the shadow of
the moon to start from Oregon Coast all
the way to South Carolina and at the
crazy speed of 2500 miles – $1,500 so
this is four to six times the speed of
sound
yeah it’s truck that’s why we cannot
hatch
we cannot chase the shadow on our plane
tomorrow the shadow just goes over
but speaking of eclipses being rare you
know in fact if you we just sit on one
point and wait for the solar eclipses a
long time 330 years yeah there are
places in the US two of them in
particular that haven’t seen a total
solar eclipse in a thousand years
yeah that’s why because the path is very
small it’s very narrow it’s quite long
but very narrow less than 100 miles
usually for this one is about 60 to 70
miles so it’s easy to miss a total solar
eclipse not a partial one but total one
that’s why it’s called
once-in-a-lifetime experience unless you
travel technically I mean the last time
we’ve had a total solar eclipse over the
US was just under a hundred years ago so
I mean if you eat your vitamins each of
veggies you know work out real well you
can see more than one so we’ll start now
you and me another coast to coast yeah I
know it was the previous one in the US
was 1979 I was one year old I wasn’t I
was not here yeah so but it’s still you
know it’s four decades of no eclipse no
total eclipse with such a large
so that’s why this eclipse is so
important to people of this country also
important to many others coming from
international nations because it’s a
it’s an eclipse during the summer it’s
pretty long two minutes yeah it could be
up to seven but even two minutes it’s
quite easy yeah don’t get people excited
they are not two minutes do most people
who observe the Eclipse for the first
time it looks like two seconds it’s
quick so don’t plan too much for the
Eclipse you know people plan for all
sorts of imaging with six cameras and
when it happens yeah they’re just
they’re like a caveman open you can’t do
anything because some people well yeah
because sometimes only deep inside us
are affected by the Eclipse absolutely
100% right Lake I want to ask my and
Rupert if you all had any questions
about the Eclipse in particular because
we don’t mind just about facts that you
we want to know if you were thinking
there was there anything about the
Eclipse that you wanted to know well my
question was answered how rare is it
yeah pretty rare year but it’s rare to
see from your location yeah but one
thing that that you said which which
really resonated with me was to not get
carried away with trying to take photos
of it yeah you know if you just live if
you just look at it with your own two
eyes through the glasses yeah you know
that probably will resonate and be the
most memorable memorable experience
you’ll have yeah yeah highly recommended
not spending the whole time through your
you know looking at your cell phone it’s
an interesting thing right we live in
such a connected time that it seems like
you just want to snap it yeah got to get
it you got to do it but there’s so much
about the fact that Mother Nature is
putting on a show for us and we should
be there to watch it and there will be
plenty of people you’ve got us covered
right you’re gonna get plenty of
pictures for us yes I’m going to station
two cameras down here and two in the
plane so we will have all sorts of
images close-up views and white field
views as the shadow
approaches but another thing I’d like to
mention to you especially to hire the
the current young generation is also
called the Eclipse generation in the US
because in the next 35 years we are
going to have five total solar eclipses
in the US this this century is quite we
made a plan earlier that we’re gonna
watch to the next one to 2024 24 2024
it’s gonna happen in the Northeast US so
you’re from Boston so you can just go
visit your family there’ll be one over
the northeastern United man that’s the
next one you’ll want to see is in April
2024 don’t miss it but yeah there are
many coming behind it so if you can’t
make this one tomorrow you really should
you can make the one in 2024 it’s
definitely not gonna be in a what is the
one most important science part about
eclipse that astronomers are chasing it
so well I mean we we chase anything in
the sky we just indiscriminately it’s
awesome I mean black holes aren’t the
coolest thing to be clear that’s my job
but there are many things are still left
to know by setting the Eclipse my
favorite fact actually is that we proved
Einstein’s theory of general relativity
using in eclipse which i think is super
cool yeah 1918 Einstein was out talking
about all the things with general
relativity and people were like push ah
that’s not true and so what they did was
they need it you either need something
very massive or you need highly precise
instruments so what they had was
something very massive in the Sun and
they had the moon crossing in front of
it and basically what happened was there
was a star cluster behind the Eclipse
and general relativity argues that very
massive things bend space-time and so
there is a precise measurement of how
much less our light which would have
been bent if general relativity were
true as opposed to Newton’s law and they
the eclipse happened everybody was in
shock and awe and then they did the
results and they found out general
activity was right a star was born an
interesting is that it was found out
British astronomer for German scientists
during the peak of the war yes so that
shows how Eclipse or science in general
can bring people together and break the
political boundaries that’s really cool
what you said there I think I understood
I don’t think I actually understood
about 75% of that’s really proud of
myself now I mean that was that’s my
favorite sort of like historical science
but there is still ongoing science that
we’re learning right now right there’s
stuff you can learn about the Sun so you
can only see the corona when the went
well with some blocking technology in
this case we have the moon to do it for
us so you can see learn things about the
corona and why it’s a million times
hotter than the sun’s surface we still
don’t know the answer to that question
we constantly see the outer corona by
satellites but not the inner ones so
that’s why it’s also important to
astronomers to capture the inner corona
and then complete it by the satellite
view from the outer Crone
that’s why it’s even available for
amateur astronomers to take precise
images and share it with scientists to
complete this view of the Sun atmosphere
really so an amateur photographer or
astronomer could could actually
contribute us yeah yeah the overall
knowledge and in fact many are there are
these studies that are going on folks
are trying to understand the ionosphere
and how like one of the outer layers or
our atmosphere works it helps us bounce
radio waves across the globe so like
these are still questions that you could
today decide oh I want I guess you could
to reproduce totally you communicate
fight I want to participate I want to
know this thing and it would be a place
for you so there is active ongoing
science in addition to there being awe
and and sort of the wonderment of the
universe if there is actual science they
are speaking about eclipses one part for
general public about the fascinating and
dramatic change of light that we see so
if all part of nature reacts to Eclipse
during totality in partial you don’t see
much you don’t see any changes but in a
total eclipse especially the last two
minutes before totality the change of
light is not linear it just dropped
all the sudden so it surprised everybody
because you look around and almost fine
of course the shadows are very sharp
when we get close to totality but that
last two-minute really surprisingly
change everything and you see the birds
are flying back to the nest mosquito or
flying answer coming out and then
absolute silence during totality unless
people are screaming five to fifteen
degrees for a night we have change of
temperature during totality you you feel
the wind and breeze or some clouds
forming sometimes due to totality so a
lot of changes happening so up here
where it’s where it where we have a lot
not a lot of light pollution and the
moon actually completely blocks out the
Sun it will be totally dark yeah so part
of the reason you see the stars that’s
because the Sun is behind the earth and
so you it’s coming dark nighttime okay
that’s not you’re not gonna get quite
that same effect but I just want to
remind us where we are we’re here in
Terrebonne Oregon hanging out with
Rupert and Maya here who have won the
nat geo and Airbnb solar eclipse prize
we’re still very excited about that
um let me just get some questions from
online so one of the questions from Gabe
is why can’t the solar eclipse be seen
from everywhere that’s a great question
and it has to do with the fact that
you’re really standing in the moon’s
shadow and while the moon it can cast a
shadow on the earth based on its
location from the Sun and what the
Earth’s location from it’s that shadow
size depends on the location so it’s
like when you stand in the shadow of a
building right like where the Sun is
determines where that shadow is and so
you don’t get a full coverage there are
just certain regions based on the actual
orbits and how far they are from one
another that allow you to see them so
it’s it’s sadly not there for everybody
but it’s it’s basically sitting in the
moon shadow now one thing that is
science that I think I mean that was
science too one thing that’s that’s also
interesting in terms of science is the
fact that this time like astronomically
speaking is a special time to see the
Eclipse so
where we’re about the Sun is about 400
times from the 400 times larger than the
moon and the moon is about 400 times
closer so that’s why the moon right now
can actually block the Sun such a
coincidence otherwise we couldn’t see we
couldn’t see if you went fifteen
thousand years back in time it wasn’t a
total solar eclipse and if you go
fifteen thousand years in front forward
in time it wouldn’t be a solar eclipse
because the moon is just slightly moving
out every year from the earth and so at
some point six hundred million years
from now I think it is actually because
fourteen thousand miles a year we won’t
even get total eclipses it’s really
really really special so let’s get to
another question I guess this is for you
and I but back when how old were we the
first time we thought we wanted to be a
scientist oh I was 13 when I got my
first astronomy book and I realized this
is my passion I didn’t become a
scientist I studied physics and
continued as a science journalist I
became a bridge between scientists and
general public yeah yeah so I became a
bridge to in a different way so I got my
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
physics
I studied astronomy and I do
astrophysics now and I also do stuff
like this cuz I’m really interested in
talking to y’all about cool things in
space black holes next time promise um
so we’ve got a lot of footage and you
know one of the things we talked about
with science but we also want to talk
about the work you do and the images you
do because the other very important
thing about the solar eclipse is it
bring folks together so maybe you could
walk us through some of the images you
see you talked about did just a few just
a few from the 13 so why don’t you walk
us through some of your images
sure sure I’d like to just answer Rupert
question on the Eclipse unit because you
you asked a very good question I’m going
to show it on one of the pictures later
on okay but let’s first start with this
one this was the first major Eclipse ISO
yeah it was in 1999 and it’s exactly 18
years ago it was in Iran the diamond
ring with the clouds around it yeah so
every 18 years the Eclipse returns
that’s called Sorrows we know it from
Babylonian time 2,500 years ago and this
is the same Eclipse coming now the last
one was in Europe and Iran Middle East
but now this one is mainly in the US
only in the US the next one could you
refresh your hair your your screams we
could I make sure we get all of that and
while we’re doing that let me just
remind y’all that tomorrow will be
having live coverage of the Eclipse from
NatGeo and Airbnb so really want to make
sure you get to see that and while he’s
doing that lemme answer are you ready
good no okay let me answer another
question so a lot of y’all are asking
about safety we’re definitely gonna have
an extended conversation about safety
but here’s the view number one do not
look directly at the Sun we’re not gonna
do that
no looking directly at the Sun you need
to have solar eclipse glasses your
sunglasses do not count so please don’t
just look at the Sun with your
sunglasses so what you want to do the
only moment where it’s okay to actually
look at the Sun or look at this hope
totally because it’s during totality and
be very careful in that moment but
best-case scenario is always wear your
solar eclipse classes but back what do
you got so here is when the Eclipse is
not total but it’s actually a total
eclipse but the moon is not large enough
to to show the corona to cover the
complete Sun that’s called the annular
eclipse I captured this one in Spain
2005 the sequence of leaves it’s a
sequence of seven images right before a
couple of minutes before totality and a
couple of minutes after including the
corona during the meet totally amazing
some people are just chasing eclipses
much more than me this person on board
the cruise ship is just showing all the
eclipses from 1970s to now that he have
changed in all continents
so the eclipses took me to all
continents two to seven of them but not
all of them were successful okay so this
one in on Antarctica in 2003 shows me
and group of fifty sixty thousand
penguins so the king penguins are here
and it’s a very good question
actually that was the most memorable
part of the trail because I was
documenting this for a TV series and I
was hoping to show how the Penguins are
reacting they showed zero reaction look
during totality they were the only one
with zero reaction that is so fun the
Eclipse has also took me to Central
American Amazonia this is with a group
of people in Panama and we were trying
to tell them what is going to happen in
the next couple of days with the Eclipse
coming this one was in the middle of the
Pacific Ocean
that was the longest total solar eclipse
in 21st century we saw it for six
minutes 14 seconds it was long enough to
read a newspaper article the same moment
with a telescope on board the ship and
then in 2013 13 I went to northern Kenya
three days on a very rough road to Lake
Turkana on northern side which is also
known as the Cradle of Humankind yeah
but unfortunately just half an hour
before eclipse we had a sandstorm
it was completely clear sky I don’t know
the southern sandstorm so that was the
only thing I saw a little bit of partial
eclipse that’s it
well let me ask you this that seems sad
we will get above the clouds this time
yes um but back let me ask you this
question and it’s gonna be our sort of
last little segment before I will have
to say go back but one of the questions
is it just you’ve seen so many do you
feel like they’ve changed you and maybe
you could talk specifically about
how they have functioned to bring people
together in your journeys oh yes
definitely first they have changed me
because every time you see it as I said
something very deep inside you react
yeah and you feel you have received so
much positive energy from the Eclipse
that you are energized for the next few
years so it’s good to see an eclipse
every now under things that you think of
yourself as somebody who can control all
your emotions but forget about that
during the Eclipse I have seen during my
last Eclipse in Indonesia my hand was
shaking after eleven eclipses on my
twelve my hand was shaking I couldn’t
hold the camera yeah during the talk I
decided to do hand-held photography I
don’t recommend this is such an
emotional experience well today cameras
are sensitive enough to capture the
image handheld during totality back to
your question it’s as bright as the full
moon even a slightly brighter because
the corona of the Sun is brighter than
the full moon so you only see a few
stars like a deep Twilight so it’s
possible to do hand lit handheld
photography but I recommend you use a
tripod for sure one of the things I do
want to make sure we get the fifty yeah
I was telling you before about using
solar eclipse classes it’s something you
want to make sure you have we’ve got
them covered y’all are good totally
solid covered but you want to make sure
you have something for safety nothing
other than approved total solar eclipse
classes will work the one thing that I
want to make sure we get you though
beyond you wearing your glasses is that
you can use pinhole projectors if you
want to do that when people are when
you’re together if you got a large group
people you want to view it together you
can do that if you want to see some of
the shadow bands you can put down paper
and you’ll see those in the in the
background but please don’t look
directly at the Sun also take this
opportunity to get to know someone you
don’t know this is a magical moment that
allow you to get to know some people
that you might not know to get to know
people you know a little bit better it
brings people together it’s
part of the work that I do I’m an
astrophysicist I kind of like science
communication
I’m also very passionate about making
sure that anyone who’s interested even a
little bit in stem or steam or steam
labs or 3d printing gets an opportunity
to do it so make sure that you’re taking
this opportunity to get together with
other people to engage folks that you
might not otherwise and maybe we can see
a little bit of change in us at the same
time we’re seeing the nature do the
thing
so please do be sure I’d like to
emphasize on the point of safety if
you’re using a telescope or a telephoto
lens
remember the filter should be definitely
in front not in the eyepiece so the one
of the most dangerous things that some
people try is to wear one of the Eclipse
glasses and look through a binocular
without protection in front so that
doesn’t work the protection should be in
front on top of the binocular or a
telescope and during totality we don’t
need any Eclipse glasses we don’t need
any filter in fact if you have a filter
for photography you need to remove it 5
seconds 10 seconds before totality and
get ready for it with the filter you’re
not going to capture anything of the
solar corona and that’s the most tricky
part because if you forget that with all
the emotion reaction you will miss the
image yeah during totality so it’s so
dark that we don’t need that filter and
it’s totally safe at the moment there’s
many concerns on media that eclipse is
going to damage the eyes that’s true but
that shouldn’t prevent us from going out
because some people might just see it in
indoor indoor and watch watch it through
a TV that’s not a good idea you’re on
the totality path you should experience
it yourself but when is when do you put
the glasses back on again as soon as you
start seeing them yes the diamond range
that’s the effect that the first light
of the Sun is coming out or the last
rays of the Sun before totality so
that’s called the diamond ring I have a
picture of that to show you in fact here
is the diamond ring the diamond ring
that bobak is talking about are called
Baily’s beads and that is enough
fact where the sunlight comes through
the valleys and mountains on the moon
and that’s what we see so that’s what
you’re thinking after the diamond ring
if you have a pair of binoculars you can
clearly see it or even with the eyes you
definitely see in fact for those people
who are on the edge of the path that’s
the place to see very strong Bailey’s
piece for a long time like we’ve seen it
Sam Louie or the Kansas City these are
places that people can actually see the
Bailey’s beats for a long time anywhere
near the edge so it’s not always the
best to go to the center line that’s
best to see the longest ability right
but not some of the side phenomena right
exactly there’s a lot to see what the
Eclipse and just to be clear if you
don’t have solar eclipse glasses then
you can do projection so like by Beck
said you don’t have to not see the
Eclipse because you don’t have the
glasses do it in projection Google
pinhole projector and I’ll show you how
to do it it’s two pieces of paper one
has a hole in it projected on the other
and you can see the Eclipse don’t miss
out because you don’t have glasses yeah
I’d like to also mention under the trees
like this picture here you see a lot of
credence Suns during we don’t have a
tree on the plane but on your next
Eclipse you can try it so for anybody so
between the leaves we have a lot of
pinhole cameras because there are gaps
between the leaves of the trees so each
one of these gaps make one picture of
the Sun on a typical day we don’t really
care about this because they’re all
circle but during the Eclipse they’ve
become all Crescent Sun and it’s quite
it’s photogenic and it’s a very safe way
of feeling that’s beautiful that is such
a unique way of looking at photographing
the Eclipse now you can also have your
own cardboard and make your watch over
my head so these are this has been an
incredible time here in Terrebonne organ
in your special air via no rely from
your bedroom for the night and you were
saying that one of the things you’re
most excited about is just to stare out
at the sky tonight yeah
clear route it’s gonna be amazing I
counted the Milky Way yeah right I kind
of wish I could just like sit right on
the corner and just hang out watch it
this has been really awesome
are there any closing questions y’all
have for us wonderful we’re so so glad
to hear it so it’s been a blast here
Thank You NatGeo and Airbnb we’ve really
enjoyed this time together we cannot
wait to see you tomorrow will be at
35,000 feet
I mean wait wait wait wait wait let me
back up have y’all get time tonight yeah
we have to
we hope y’all viewing have had a great
time too tomorrow I’m pretty sure we’re
gonna have a little more fun this will
be at 35,000 feet watching the Eclipse
while we’re doing that right I know
every time I feel like what is happening
you should watch the live Nat Geo and
air BnB show I wear Terry Virts
and Cara Santa Maria will be hosting you
might even get a cameo from us too so
don’t miss it join us tomorrow to see
that show we’ve had a great time here in
tear of an Oregon thanks Airbnb thanks
Nat Geo
thanks about back thanks Rupert thanks
Maya thanks nice right good night
you
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