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Eclipse Randoms: When's the Next One, Why It'll Make Animals Crazy, and More
The total solar eclipse is here, so here's some last-minute random info, news, and stories for you . . .
1. It's been 38 years since the last total solar eclipse but, fortunately, if you miss it today, you won't have to wait that long again. The next time that America will be able to see a total solar eclipse is in seven years, on April 8th, 2024.
2. One day far in the future, there won't be any total solar eclipses, because the moon is drifting further and further from Earth. It should happen in somewhere between 500 million and one billion more years. So we're still good.
3. In the eastern parts of the country that are directly in the eclipse's path, the amount of light they get will be similar to the amount of sunlight Neptune gets every day. In the west, it'll be like the amounts of sunlight Saturn gets every day.
4. Animals could go NUTS during the eclipse. According to zoo experts, nocturnal animals like owls could wake up and start looking for food . . . elephants will freak out and make a bunch of noise . . . and armadillos could JUMP three to four feet in the air, which is something they do when they're scared.
5. If you're stuck inside, NASA will be doing a massive livestream during the entire eclipse from 12:00 to 4:00 P.M. Eastern so you can experience it, at nasa.gov.
(Time and Date / Mashable / Business Insider / People / NASA)