What do you intend to do on April 8, 2024? Make a note on your calendars now, because a once-in-a-lifetime celestial phenomenon will pass over the United States in two years. A total lunar solar eclipse will carve a trail of transitory shadow from Mexico to Canada during the Great North American Solar Eclipse. The eclipse will be visible from most of the United States’ contiguous 48 states (also known as the Lower 48), but a band stretching from Texas to Maine will provide the best views of the eclipse’s totality, when the Sun is completely veiled.
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, partially or completely covering the Sun’s light. Annual eclipses are partial eclipses that occur when the Moon is too far away from Earth to completely block all light. A complete solar eclipse, on the other hand, is more uncommon. Every 18 months or so, a new one appears. When the Moon is close enough to the Earth to conceal the much bigger (and much farther away) Sun, this happens. A tiny area of the Earth is cast into dramatic shadow, which traverses over the globe. Since the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the United States has only experienced this darkness 21 times.
In 2017, a complete eclipse crossed the United States for the first time. The heavenly event was witnessed by millions of people. It was the country’s first complete eclipse in 40 years. After the 2024 eclipse, the next one won’t happen in the United States until 2045. If you want to see this amazing event from a good vantage point, look at the maps and charts that show the 124-mile-wide band where and when the totality of the eclipse will occur. On April 8, 2024, viewers in Cleveland, Ohio, for example, will lose sunlight for three minutes and 50 seconds at 3:13 p.m. EDT. Hotels in areas where the eclipse will be visible are likely to fill up quickly.
Even if you can’t make it to the area of totality, depending on the weather, you might be able to see the eclipse. A partial eclipse will be visible. Solar eclipse glasses will be required no matter where you are. Directly staring at the Sun during an eclipse is extremely risky and can cause lasting damage to your eyes. The only time it is safe to see without glasses is during totality, assuming you are in the right place. The International Organization for Standardization should approve solar eclipse glasses (ISO). The American Astronomical Society has put up a list of reputable merchants to aid you with your eclipse requirements.
Get your glasses and mark April 8, 2024 on your calendars to see one of the best shows on the planet.
A complete solar eclipse will pass across North America on April 8, 2024, producing a 124-mile-wide swath of darkness.
In any particular place, a complete eclipse is an uncommon occurrence.
It will take until 2045 for the next to traverse the United States.
Make a note on your calendars: eclipses are popular, and hotels in totality areas fill up quickly.
The eclipse is one of nature’s most spectacular displays; don’t miss it!
h/t: [Space]