A solar eclipse will hit North America on April 8, 2024, and millions of Americans are already preparing for this rare event.
According to NASA, the total solar eclipse, or complete coverage of the sun, will span 15 states, but the partial solar eclipse will be visible in every state in the continental United States.
The eclipse’s route will start in Mexico, arch northeast from Texas to Ohio, then reach Canada and return to Maine.
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The best time to see them varies depending on the location.
People in the San Antonio, Texas area will see totality around 1:35 p.m. Pacific time. In upstate New York, that situation occurs around 3:25 p.m. ET.
Total solar eclipse path and partial contours across the United States for the 2024 total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, mapped by NASA. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)
‘Pretty good’ solar eclipse
Dr. William Blair, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, expressed his excitement about this “extraordinary” event in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“It’s a really exciting event,” he said. “And to have these two so close together, from 2017 to now, right through the heart of this country, is a great opportunity for people.”
“It’s pretty unusual for that to happen anywhere on Earth at any time.”
Prime Minister Tony Blair, who recently retired from work on the James Webb Telescope Space Exploration Project, called it a “pretty good” eclipse, judging by the moon’s orbit and distance.
The moon is currently a little closer to the earth, he Said, The shadow on the sun will be a little wider and the entire eclipse will last longer.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible in San Salvador, El Salvador on October 14, 2023. (Camilo Friedman/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The 2024 solar eclipse is estimated to last more than four minutes.
By comparison, the last solar eclipse in the United States in 2017 was about two and a half minutes long.
Prime Minister Blair said a solar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon and Earth are “almost” perfectly aligned.
“For most new moons, the moon’s shadow is either below the Earth or slightly above the Earth, so it’s not like every time there’s a new moon there’s a solar eclipse,” he says.
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“But sometimes…when a new moon occurs at the right time, the moon’s shadow can cross vast areas of space and actually draw tiny stripes across the Earth. And that’s what we call a solar eclipse. That’s what I see.” ”
According to Prime Minister Tony Blair and NASA, the next solar eclipse in the United States will occur more than 20 years later, on August 23, 2044, although solar eclipses can occur multiple times a year around the world.
Bill Blair is a research professor and astrophysicist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University. (Bill Blair)
“But it’s quite unusual for that to happen anywhere on the planet at any time,” Blair said.
NASA said in the article that the eclipse was a “happy coincidence” based on the sizes of the sun and moon.
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“The diameter of the Sun is approximately 400 times that of the Moon, and the Sun is almost 400 times farther from us than the Moon,” NASA writes.
“This combination makes the sun and moon appear nearly the same size in the sky, creating a spectacular show when they line up.”
take in the best views
Prime Minister Blair said the eclipses were “pretty amazing”, saying everything had to be “very carefully orchestrated” and it would be “spectacular” to witness one of them.
“When you go into the totality zone, you’re actually in the moon’s deep shadow and the corona is actually illuminated. The corona is the area around the sun’s bright disk,” he added.
A time-series composite image of the total solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017 is displayed. (Alan Dyer/VW Photography/UIG via Getty Images)
“When the sun disappears, you can see the corona. It’s a truly magical sight.”
Prime Minister Blair added that the sun is currently in an “11-year cycle of activity (numerous sunspots and surface activity)”.
“This means that a lot of structure is likely to be revealed due to the coronavirus,” he said.
“So instead of just seeing a hazy ring of light around the eclipsed sun, you could potentially see streamers and other structures.”
As the solar eclipse approaches, indigenous traditions encourage inactivity, including prohibiting viewing, eating, and sleeping.
The astrophysicist emphasized that just being close to the total line does not guarantee the best view of the eclipse.
“A 99% coverage solar eclipse and a total solar eclipse are very different experiences,” he said.
A total solar eclipse will be visible in California on August 21, 2017. (Teyfan Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
According to NASA, the best view of a solar eclipse always depends on the weather, with clear skies allowing a full view of the sun and moon.
How to safely view the solar eclipse
When observing a solar eclipse, it is important to use safety glasses to avoid direct exposure to the sun before and after the eclipse.
Prime Minister Blair quelled “confusion” about direct exposure to the eclipse, pointing out that it was safe to view the eclipse during “total eclipse” as the sun was completely covered.
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“You can see it with a camera. You can see that whole four-minute picture with the naked eye or you can see it with binoculars,” he said. “But that’s the only time you can actually see it without eye protection.”
“Even if a small portion of the sun’s surface is exposed, the sun’s temperature is 5,500 degrees. You’re looking at something like a blast furnace with your naked eye.”
People observe the annular solar eclipse at the Luis Enrique Elo Planetarium at the National Institute of Technology in Mexico City on October 14, 2023. (Louis Barron/Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Prime Minister Blair recommended wearing safety glasses, which are sold specifically for eclipse events, or other dark glass eye coverings, such as a welder’s helmet.
NASA reiterated on its website that it is never safe to look directly at the sun without “special solar viewing glasses.”
California-based Solar Eyeglasses, which sells AAS-approved and ISO-certified solar eclipse glasses, reported a 2,422% increase in revenue and a 2,641% unit sales increase in 2024.
Experts say staring at a partially eclipsed sun for even a moment without a special filter can “cause serious damage to the eyes.” (St. Petersburg)
“The enthusiasm for the eclipse is real,” a spokesperson for Solar Eyeglasses told Fox News Digital. “Many people who missed October’s solar eclipse are looking forward to this one.”
Staring even briefly at a partially eclipsed sun without special filters can “cause significant damage to your eyes,” according to Solar Eye Glasses.
”[It] It can damage the macular tissue (the center of the retina), causing a condition known as solar retinopathy and even permanent vision loss. ”
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A spokesperson told the public that regular sunglasses “cannot protect the eyes” from the sun and “should not be used to view the eclipse at any stage, as sunglasses are not intended for this purpose. “This is because they are not designed to be safe and are not safe for blocking intense light.” the sun’s. “
“Don’t forget the timing,” the spokesperson said. “When the sun begins to reappear after totality, put your eclipse glasses or eclipse viewer back on immediately to prevent eye damage.”
“It will be quite some time before we have another one nearby.”
Solar Eyeglasses suggested adding an extra layer of protection for children by using paper plates to block extra light coming in from the sides.
Another method suggested by Blair is to look through an object like a pasta spoon or colander with holes in it that can “show the partial phases of the eclipse.”
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“You can actually see [the phases] “Project it onto the ground or onto a piece of paper or whatever you want to use it for, and you’ll see lots of little eclipses,” he said.
“I encourage you all [to] “We’re entering a totality zone,” he said, adding, “It will be quite a while before we see another location nearby.”
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