On April 8, 2024, the Great North American Solar Eclipse will cross the country, plunging a 124-mile-wide swath of land stretching from Mexico to Canada into night-like darkness.
The crowds gather, spreading out picnic blankets, setting up lawn chairs and stringing up hammocks. There is a social atmosphere until the sun goes down and a shadow creeps across the landscape like a rising tide. The chatters are quiet as the eyes look up. The sun is consumed by a black disk in the middle of the day, and everyone gasps and cheers.
Skywatchers travel the world to witness the spectacle of a total solar eclipse. The United States experienced its first total solar eclipse in nearly 40 years, with an impressive 88 percent of the adults in the country turning out to view the show.
The next one is on the horizon. The Great North American Solar Eclipse will take place in two years, plunging a large swath of the country into darkness.
RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU...
It might seem like a long time away, but given the popularity of total solar eclipses, it is just about time to start planning your travel for the event.
Video: Total Solar Eclipse in April 2024 - See the path of totality
Related: Total solar eclipse 2024: Here's what you need to know
The question is broken down into three parts. An eclipse occurs when the Earth, sun, and moon are aligned so that one of them casts a shadow on the other.
A solar eclipse is when the moon moves between the sun and the Earth, causing its shadow to move across the Earth's surface.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon is just the right distance away from the Earth. An annular eclipse is when the moon is closer to the Earth than the sun, so it doesn't block all of the sun.
Approximately every 18 months, there are total eclipses. Only a small percentage of the planet actually experiences an eclipse because the moon's shadow is so small. A specific location will only experience a total solar eclipse roughly every 400 years.
Since the country was founded in 1776, the United States has only seen 21 total solar eclipses. The last cross-country total solar eclipse happened in 1918. A cross-country total solar eclipse will not happen again until 2045.
The eclipse will last longer and cast a wider shadow than the one in 2017, which will make it easier to view.
The Great North American Total Solar Eclipse will start in Mexico at 10:51 a.m. on April 8, 2024. The eclipse will begin in Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada at 4:07 pm local time.
When the moon crosses in front of the sun, those starting times are for the partial eclipse. When the moon fully covers the sun and the sky goes dark is the best show. The totality of the eclipse will last up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds at its maximum duration, which will occur over central Texas around 1:30 p.m. local time.
The path of totality crosses through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. You should be located within the path of totality for the best viewing.
Hotels and vacation rentals are likely to sell out quickly within the path of the eclipse.
Special glasses approved by the ISO are the most important rule when viewing solar eclipses. Don't look at the sun directly without proper eye protection. It is safe to look at the sun without glasses when the moon completely covers it.
You can look up during the eclipse if you head to the path of totality. There are special programming hosted by museums, libraries and schools.
If you can't travel to the path of totality, you can still view a partial eclipse if you look at the sun through your eclipse glasses.
The eclipse will likely be live-streamed by observatories across North America so you can view it from your own home.
Follow us on social media.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
