About this episode
<p>Today, millions of Americans will have the opportunity to see a rare total solar eclipse.</p><p>Fred Espenak, a retired astrophysicist known as Mr. Eclipse, was so blown away by an eclipse he saw as a teenager that he dedicated his life to traveling the world and seeing as many as he could.</p><p>Mr. Espenak discusses the eclipses that have punctuated and defined the most important moments in his life, and explains why these celestial phenomena are such a wonder to experience.</p><p>Guest: Fred Espenak, a.k.a. “Mr. Eclipse,” a former NASA astrophysicist and lifelong eclipse chaser.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>A total solar eclipse is coming.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/total-solar-eclipse.html"> Here’s what you need to know.</a></li><li>Millions of people making plans to be in the path of the solar eclipse on Monday know it will be awe-inspiring.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/07/us/solar-eclipse-awe.html"> What is that feeling?</a></li><li>The eclipse that ended a war and<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/science/eclipse-prediction-ancient-greece-thales.html"> shook the gods forever.</a></li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.</p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>