Debunking misinformation, conspiracies sparked by 2024 solar eclipse | Fact check roundup

The April 8 total solar eclipse, which is expected to shroud the homes of tens of millions of Americans in darkness, has the internet buzzing. While millions are traveling to witness the phenomenon, some have latched onto the idea that the eclipse is linked to something nefarious.

Conspiracy theories linking the eclipse to a portal opening and a "sex magic ritual" have spread widely, as has an assertion that the sun and moon aren't actually aligned.

Here's a roundup of solar eclipse debunks from the USA TODAY Fact-Check Team:

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Claim: CERN will start up April 8 to open a portal during the eclipse

Our rating: False

The post is wrong about both the timing and the nature of CERN's work. CERN's equipment began operating in March, a month before the eclipse, and the technology is nowhere near strong enough to open a portal or a black hole. Read more

Claim: April 8 solar eclipse will cause 3-5 days of darkness

Our rating: False

The claim is nonsense. The entire planet will not go dark for days. Only those located in the narrow path of totality will experience any significant darkness, and experts said that will last for only about four minutes. Read more

The claim: NASA is launching 'three rockets at three moons' during eclipse

Our rating: False

NASA plans to launch three rockets during the April 8 eclipse to study the effect on the upper atmosphere. The Earth has only one moon, though many other objects, such as satellites, orbit the planet too. Read more.

Claim: Eclipse crosses seven cities named Ninevah, crosses 2017 eclipse path in 'Little Egypt, Illinois’

Our rating: Partly false

This attempt to link the eclipse to biblical locations whiffs on the details. There are two Ninevehs, not seven, inside the April 8 eclipse's path of totality that is shown in the post. The other five Ninevahs will just see a partial eclipse, like nearly all of the continental U.S. The eclipse paths do cross in “Little Egypt,” but that's a large region, not a town. Read more

Claim: A 'Birdman' was seen days before the solar eclipse

Our rating: False

The photo of a silhouette in the sky has circulated online since at least November 2016 and is unrelated to the April 2024 solar eclipse. Experts say the concept of a "Birdman" as shown is logically impossible because the wings wouldn't support the weight. Read more

Claim: Three rockets being launched by NASA during eclipse are part of 'sex magic ritual'

Our rating: False

The NASA rockets scheduled for April 8 will be used to study the eclipse's effect on the upper atmosphere, as they were during a past eclipse. There is no evidence the rockets are tied to any ritual – sexual, magical or otherwise. Read more

Claim: National Guard, FEMA, hazmat teams were never activated for a solar eclipse before 2024

Our rating: False

Similar preparations took place in 2017 when Oregon National Guard soldiers were deployed, and four Federal Emergency Management Agency regional centers across the country were activated ahead of a total solar eclipse that year. The hazmat team involved in the April 8 preparations is part of the National Guard's response, not a separate entity. Read more

Claim: Sun and moon will not be aligned for 2024 eclipse

Our rating: False

The moon, the Earth and the sun will be briefly aligned on April 8, causing a total solar eclipse. Scientists can predict eclipses based on planetary movements. Read more

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