04 / April / 2024 : 17-02

Why is full solar eclipse so important ?

We may not see such a dramatic reaction to the total eclipse passing across North America on 8 April this year, but recent research suggests it may nevertheless have a powerful impact on our psychology – by evoking the emotion of awe.There are few events more awe-striking than the series of celestial coincidences that allow us to experience a total solar eclipse. It relies on the Moon being the exact size and distance from Earth, and in the right orbit to pass in front of the Sun and completely block out its light for a few moments. Witnessing such an astonishing event could, according to the research, inspire us all to find greater humility and care for others.

"People may be more affiliative – they may say that they have closer social ties with others – and they feel more connected to their community," says Sean Goldy, a psychologist at Johns Hopkins University, who has investigated the psychological effects of the 2017 eclipse.

"It's an emotion you feel when you perceive something that is vast and which challenges your view of the world," says Jennifer Stellar, a psychologist at the University of Toronto. "It is the feeling that you have towards an object or a person that is so extraordinary as to be beyond comprehension."
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