Upcoming Total Solar Eclipse to Darken North America: What You Need to Know
Get ready for a celestial spectacle as the sun prepares to pull off another disappearing act across North America. On April 8, a total solar eclipse will darken the skies for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds in the path of totality, making it twice as long as the eclipse that occurred in 2017. This time, the eclipse will take a different and more populated route, entering over Mexico’s Pacific coast, passing through Texas and Oklahoma, and crisscrossing the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and New England, before exiting over eastern Canada into the Atlantic.
With an estimated 44 million people living within the 115-mile-wide path of totality from Mazatlán, Mexico to Newfoundland, and about 32 million of them in the U.S., it’s guaranteed that roads will be jammed with eager spectators wanting to witness this celestial phenomenon.
According to NASA’s eclipse program manager Kelly Korreck, this eclipse will allow many people to experience the “wonder of the universe without going very far.” It’s an opportunity for people across North America to come together and marvel at the beauty of nature.
So, what exactly happens during a total solar eclipse? The moon will align perfectly between the Earth and the sun, blocking out the sunlight. In less than 2 and a half hours, the moon’s shadow will slice a diagonal line from the southwest to the northeast across North America, casting communities along its path into temporary darkness. Fifteen U.S. states will be lucky enough to witness this extraordinary event, with cities like Dallas, Little Rock, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Montreal right in the heart of the action. Even if you’re not within the path of totality, you can still catch a partial eclipse. The farther away you are from the path, the smaller the moon’s bite out of the sun will be. In Seattle and Portland, about one-third of the sun will be swallowed, providing a glimpse of this celestial show.
What makes this eclipse even more special is the length of totality. By a cosmic stroke of luck, the moon will make its closest approach to Earth the day before the eclipse, putting it just 223,000 miles away. This proximity means that the moon will appear slightly bigger in the sky, resulting in an especially long period of sun-blocked darkness. On eclipse day, the Earth and moon will be 93 million miles from the sun, the average distance. When a closer moon pairs up with a more distant sun, totality can last as long as an astounding 7 and a half minutes. The last time the world witnessed more than seven minutes of totality was in 1973 over Africa, and we won’t see it again until 2150 over the Pacific.
Of course, safety is paramount when observing a solar eclipse. Sunglasses won’t provide enough protection, so it’s crucial to wear special eclipse glasses to safely observe the sun as the moon passes in front of it. During totality, when the sun is completely shrouded, it’s safe to remove your glasses and look with your naked eyes. However, before and after totality, certified eclipse glasses are essential to avoid eye damage. It’s important to ensure that your glasses are not scratched or torn. If you plan on using cameras, binoculars, or telescopes to view the eclipse, make sure they are outfitted with special solar filters for safe viewing. Remember, never look directly at the exposed sun without proper protection.
If you’re looking to join in on the eclipse festivities, there are plenty of eclipse watch parties happening along the path of totality. Towns up and down the path are hosting star parties, festivals, races, yoga retreats, drum circles, and more. You can witness the eclipse at museums, fairgrounds, parks, stadiums, wineries, breweries, and even at one of Ohio’s oldest drive-in movie theaters or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In addition to looking up at the sky, you can attend a “space prom” in Texas Hill Country, participate in eclipse-themed wedding ceremonies in Tiffin, Ohio, and Russellville, Arkansas, or learn about moonwalking history at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio – Neil Armstrong’s hometown.
As the eclipse unfolds, NASA will launch small rockets with science instruments into the upper atmosphere from Virginia and chase totality’s shadow from high-altitude planes. Satellites and the International Space Station crew will also attempt to capture the show from space.
If you miss this upcoming total solar eclipse, don’t worry. Full solar eclipses occur every year or two or three, although they often happen in remote locations like the South Pacific or Antarctic. The next total solar eclipse will occur in 2026 and will grace the northern fringes of Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. North America won’t experience totality again