Here’s what to know about next week’s total solar eclipse 

Parts of North America will be dark next week due to a rare celestial phenomenon that won’t return for decades.

Next Monday, there will be a total solar eclipse that will completely block the sun’s mask for the first time since 2017.

What is a total solar eclipse?

“A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth and completely blocks the sun’s face.” NASA.

The eclipse will last longer than the 2017 eclipse because the moon will be closer to Earth than usual, reaching a distance of 223,000 miles at that point. According to , the longest total solar eclipse will occur over Mexico at 4 minutes and 28 seconds. NASA. In Syracuse, New York, the eclipse will last only a minute and a half.

when does it happen

The total solar eclipse is next Monday, April 8th. The last solar eclipse he took place in August 2017. It will be several decades before the next solar eclipse occurs.

The next total solar eclipse is scheduled for August 2044 in Montana and North Dakota. NASA.

path of solar eclipse

The path of the solar eclipse will cast the moon’s shadow over areas from the southwest to northeastern United States, with a total solar eclipse expected to occur in 15 states.

The eclipse will start in Texas and pass through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. NASA.

How to watch safely

NASA provides: live stream.

Looking at the sun during a solar eclipse can cause “eclipse blindness.” Regular sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection.

That person should have a filter called ISO 12312-2.

“Unfortunately, sunglasses alone are not enough, because they actually need to be 1,000 times darker than regular sunglasses,” said Dr. Nicole Busic, an ophthalmologist and assistant professor at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. . ABC News. “So we’re specifically looking for eclipse glasses, which have a special filter called ISO 12312-2.”

You must wear eclipse glasses during a crown solar eclipse.

According to NASA, special purpose solar filters must be turned on when observing through a telescope or camera lens.

During short totality periods when the Moon completely covers the Sun, it is safe to remove your glasses. As the month progresses, the glasses should return to normal.