The Shadow Snakes of an Eclipse
In the moments before a total eclipse, faint wavy bands of light and shadow slither across the ground and walls, like ripples at the bottom of a pool.
What was reported
Just before and just after the Sun is completely covered in a total eclipse, many people notice something strange on the ground: faint, wavy bands of light and dark rippling across pale surfaces like walls, sheets and sand. They move quickly and are very hard to photograph. Some people have called them shadow snakes.
They've been reported for centuries and are often described as one of the eeriest parts of an eclipse, alongside the sudden cold and the birds falling silent.
Explanations offered
Shadow bands are thought to be caused by the turbulent air of Earth's atmosphere bending the last thin sliver of sunlight, the same effect that makes stars twinkle. Their exact patterns are still studied, and scientists have tried to film them at recent eclipses.
- When
- Seen at total eclipses, including 21 August 2017
- Where
- Madras, Oregon, USA
- Witnesses
- Eclipse watchers
- Status
- Partly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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