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UNKNOWN, 1800S

For a moment, forget the fact that Earth is a sphere. Forget that the orbit of Earth, along with the orbit of the Sun and Moon, are what will cause the upcoming solar eclipse. Instead, think about the eclipse the way flat-Earthers do:

Picture Earth as a flat plane, and picture a Moon and Sun traveling in orbits above that plane. In this model, a solar eclipse happens each time the Sun and Moon overlap, of course! Please note that if this example doesnโ€™t make sense, itโ€™s probably because youโ€™re still imagining Earth as a sphereโ€”or maybe because you have a basic understanding of the universe.

Kathleen Marie Barnett is the former art director at the Portland Mercury.