Originally Posted By: gfh77665
However, this is a tremendously significant celestial event, the likes of which won't be seen again for decades. I have tried to foster my childrens interst in science. My middle daughter is a Senior Mechanical Engineering student, and will graduate near the top of her class. She is all over this, as I am.
What makes the event "tremendously significant" as opposed to being "not very frequent" ?
It's like saying that being born in the period where a clock's big and little and second hand are at the "12" position is significant, except being born in such a period you get to see that twice a day (if you are so inclined).
The fact that the placement and size of these objects allows for what we see (with calculable repeatability, thus the clock reference), is what's of astounding significance.