The next total solar eclipse—when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun—may be your last chance to see it happen for decades to come.
Such an event is expected to pass over Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8, 2024. According to NASA, this will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until August 2044.
During a total solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the Sun’s light, darkening the sky as if in the early morning or late evening. This type of eclipse happened last time in the United States August 2017when people could see the event for the first time across the continent about 100 years.
Total solar eclipses occur every three years, but the events are usually only visible from Earth’s poles or mid-ocean.
While the eclipse won’t be visible from coast to coast next year, the path of totality passes through dozens of states, including Texas, Arkansas, New York and Pennsylvania. The totality will begin over the South Pacific Ocean before moving over Mexico into the United States and end after passing over Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador. States not in the path of totality will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse.
According to NASA, the first place in North America expected to witness totality is the Pacific coast of Mexico at around 11:07 a.m. PDT. Although the eclipse will last for several hours, it will only last for four minutes. Only during these few minutes is it safe for people to remove their special eclipse glasses.
What to expect
The long-awaited moment of a total solar eclipse – totality – is only a few minutes into the hour-long process, and beyond that moment, it’s vital that people wear special eclipse glasses to avoid damaging their eyes.
The event will begin with a so-called partial phase, when the moon has not yet completely covered the sun, giving the giant star its crescent shape. This can take between 70 and 80 minutes in most places. As the moon approaches fullness, “Bailey’s beads” will appear—tiny rays of light from the sun that are quickly captured on paper on the moon’s horizon. Then, just before totality, the beads will disappear, leaving only a bright spot called a “diamond ring”.
That’s when the moment finally arrives – the sky is dark and the sun appears as a glowing black orb.
“During totality, take a few seconds to observe the world around you. You may see a 360-degree view of the sunset. You may also see some particularly bright stars or planets in the dark sky,” says NASA. “The temperature will drop and there will often be an eerie silence around you. It’s also worth looking at the people around you – when the Sun is total, many people have a deeply emotional response.”
In just a few minutes, the process leading to totality will repeat itself in reverse and the eclipse will end.
Upcoming celestial events
Although the total solar eclipse is still more than a year away, it’s not the only opportunity to see the celestial event outside your home. The cancel the solar eclipse It will cross North, Central and South America in October. This year’s 14th will be the last time such an eclipse will be visible from the continental United States until 2039, NASA said.
If you’re dying for a little space before fall, you only have to wait a few weeks.
A bright green comet Known as C/2022 E3 (ZTF), it will make its first and likely only appearance to the human eye. The comet, which is believed to have traveled billions of miles through space, is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun on January 12, and its closest approach to Earth on February 2. comet with only binoculars – and if they are really lucky, with the naked eye.
