8-Year-Old Science Genius Explains Eclipse

MONDAY, A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.
AND HERE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT
MEANS, AN 8-YEAR-OLD KID FROM
SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, PLEASE
WELCOME ROMANIO.
PLEASE COME ON OUT!
HOW YOU DOIN'?
>> I'M DOIN' GREAT.
>> Jimmy: I SEE YOU'VE BEEN TO
THE NASA GIFT SHOP.
>> GENTLEYES, I HAVE.
I STUDY ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND
PHYSICS AT A COLLEGE LEVEL,
UNIVERSITY LEVEL.
>> Jimmy: SO YOU STUDY THIS
STUFF AND LOVE THIS STUFF.
>> I DO.
>> Jimmy: DO YOU WANT TO BE AN
ASTRONAUT WHEN YOU GROW UP?
>> YES.
>> Jimmy: WHO WAS THE WORST
ASTRONAUT EVER, MATT DAMON?
DID YOU SHE MOVIE?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
>> Jimmy: HE MADE POTATOES OUT
OF HIS OWN POOM P IN THAT MOVIE.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO
DO IN A SPACESHIP?
>> NO.
>> Jimmy: SO YOU BROUGHT SOME
VISUALS FROM NASA TO HELP US
UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
THERE IS A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.
WE KNOW THE END RESULT OF IT,
BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW
WHY IT'S HAPPENING, CORRECT?
>> WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO.
>> Jimmy: SHOW US WHAT YOU HAVE.
>> THIS IS THE SUN, THIS IS THE
MOON, APPARENTLY, THIS IS THE
EARTH.
WE'RE GOING TO SAY THE SHUN IS
SHINING ON THE MOON AND IT CASTS
ITS SHADOW ON THE EARTH.
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ON
MONDAY.
>> Jimmy: IT'S A SHADOW THAT
GETS CAST ON THE EARTH.
IS IT DANGEROUS?
>> IT IS NOT DANGEROUS UNLESS
YOU'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT THE
SUN.
YOU NEED SOLAR GLASSES.
>> Jimmy: YOU SHOULD NOT LOOK
DIRECTLY AT THE SUN.
>> YOU SHOULDN'T.
>> Jimmy: AND WHAT HAPPENS IF
YOU DO?
>> YOU'LL GET PARTIAL BLINDNESS.
>> Jimmy: THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
WHO WOULD WIN IN A FIGHT BETWEEN
THE SUN AND THE MOON?
>> NOBODY.
>> Jimmy: NOBODY.
OKAY.
SO WE HAVE A VISUAL
DEMONSTRATION THAT YOU'VE PUT
TOGETHER FOR US.
AND DICKEY'S GOING TO HELP US
WITH THIS.
THANK YOU, DICKIE.
SO THIS IS A BASKETBALL.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
AND THIS IS, YOU'RE CLAPPING FOR
TWO BALLS TIED TOGETHER BY A
ROPE.
>> WELL, THEY'RE NOT JUST THAT.
>> Jimmy: THEY'RE NOT JUST THAT.
>> YOU'RE CLAPPING FOR A MODEL
OF HOW HARD IT IS FOR AN ECLIPSE
TO HAPPEN.
>> Jimmy: OH, SO THAT'S WHY.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> Jimmy: SO IT'S A VERY RARE
THING.
ALL THESE THINGS HAVE TO LEAN
UP.
SH
SHOW US EXACTLY WHAT HAS TO LINE
UP.
>> THE MOON IS 250,000 MILES
AWAY FROM THE EARTH.
>> Jimmy: OKAY, SO YOU GO OVER
THERE AND SHOW US EXACTLY WHAT
THE DISTANCE WOULD BE AND HOW
THIS WOULD LINE UP, OKAY?
ALL RIGHT.
GOOD.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT
RIGHT --
>> Jimmy: PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS
AT HOME.
IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
>> NO, YOU CAN TRY IT ANY PLACE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> Jimmy: NOT IN AN ELEVATOR YOU
COULDN'T.
>> WELL, THAT'S RIGHT.
UNLESS YOU HAD A GIANT ELEVATOR.
>> Jimmy: THIS IS THE EARTH,
WE'RE
WE'RE ON THIS.
THE MOON IS IN YOUR HANDS.
THE SUN WOULD BE WHERE?
>> 1.6 MILES AWAY.
>> Jimmy: THIS IS HOW THEY LINE
UP.
YOU CAN SEE.
>> NOW THIS IS MY QUESTION FOR
YOU.
DO YOU KNOW ANY LANDMARKS 1.76
MILES AWAY.
>> Jimmy: YEAH, THERE'S A LIQUOR
STORE.
IT'S GOT A BIG CLOWN ON IT.
CIRCUS LIQUORS IT'S CALLED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
SO THAT'S HOW FAR AWAY THE SUN
WOULD BE FROM --
>> YES, AND IT WOULD BE THE SIZE
OF A GIANT HOUSE.
>> Jimmy: THE SIZE OF A HOUSE.
>> THE BIGGEST HOUSE YOU COULD
FIND.
>> Jimmy: SORRY, GUILLERMO.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD LOSE A LITTLE
WEIGHT OVER THE VACATION.
NOW WHAT DO WE DO?
A TUG-OF-WAR AND SEE WHO WOULD
WIN?
>> NO, WE JUST SAY, AND HERE'S
WHAT MAKES AN ECLIPSE NOT HAPPEN
EVERY MONTH.
>> Jimmy: RIGHT, BECAUSE ALL
THESE THINGS HAVE TO LINE UP
EXACTLY.
>> RIGHT, BECAUSE REMEMBER, THIS
IS 5 DEGREES.
SOMETIMES IT'S TOO HIGH.
SOMETIMES IT'S TOO LOW.
>> Jimmy: YEAH, I KNOW.
IT'S A BUMMER.
[ LAUGHTER ]
LET'S TALK ABOUT SAFETY AGAIN
FOR A SECOND.
NOW NASA GAVE GLASSES, AND WE'RE
GOING TO GIVE THESE TO EVERYBODY
IN THE AUDIENCE.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> SURPRISE!
>> Jimmy: HERE, COME BACK TO ME.
I WAS GOING TO PULL YOU OVER
HERE.
WOULD IT HELP TO WEAR GARLIC
AROUND YOUR NECK DURING AN
ECLIPSE?
>> IT DOES NOT.
>> Jimmy: IS THAT JUST FOR
VAMPIRES, THEN?
>> WELL, IT TURNS OUT, WHAT'S
ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE DONE IS
WEAR THESE SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES
OR SOLAR FILTER GLASSES.
>> Jimmy: I'M GOING TO PUT A
PAIR ON AS WELL AND WATCH.
WE HAVE A GREAT VIDEO,
DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT HAPPENS
DURING AN ECLIPSE.
AND LET'S ROLL THAT VIDEO HERE
ON THE SCREEN.
SO HERE YOU GO.
THAT BALL IS THE MOON, AND WHAT
HAPPENS IS IT ACTUALLY, YOU SEE
WHAT --
[ APPLAUSE ]
YOU SEE ANY OF THAT?
>> I CANNOT SEE ANYTHING BUT THE
LIGHTS.
>> Jimmy: WHEN IS THE NEXT SOLAR
ECLIPSE?
THE NEXT BIG ONE?
>> WELL, IT'S IN 2024.
>> Jimmy: WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO
WATCH THIS ONE?
>> CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
>> Jimmy: WE HAVE A SPECIAL
PRESENT FOR YOU, SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN USE, I DON'T KNOW IF
IT'S SAFE, YOU COULD USE IT FOR
THE ECLIPSE OR --
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
A HYDROGEN ALPHA SOLAR
TELESCOPE!
>> YOU SURPRISED ME, RIGHT!
>> Jimmy: YEAH, I'M SURPRISING
YOU.
AND LOOK, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE
SUN.
SMILE, SUN.
THAT'S FOR YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'RE VERY, VERY SMAR

8-Year-Old Science Genius Explains Eclipse

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