A Look at the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
With the highly anticipated 2024 total solar eclipse edging closer, you may be pondering the best times to witness this rare astronomical event. On April 8, 2024, the eclipse will paint the U.S. skies into darkness, a sight not to be missed.
Effectively, the eclipse will be first observable over the South Pacific Ocean. It will then reach the Pacific coast in Mexico at approximately 11:07 PDT before making its way northeast.
Head over to the interactive map of Pennsylvania to discover the exact time of the eclipse commencement in your city and what percentage of the sun will be covered:
What is a Total Solar Eclipse?
A total solar eclipse is a celestial event where the moon perfectly aligns between the sun and Earth, blocking the sun’s light. This momentary darkness can trick nocturnal animals into waking up, cease birdsong, and drive bees back to their nests, according to NASA.
Find out if you’ll have a clear view of the 2024 eclipse by checking the cloudiness map here.
Path of Totality in 2024
The path of totality, the thin track across the U.S. where the sun will appear totally obscured, begins in Texas and continues northeast through various states, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and more.
Interestingly, unlike previous years, the 2024 solar eclipse will be at least partially visible across all 48 contiguous states.
It’s important to note that the next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States won’t occur until Aug. 23, 2044, according to NASA.
Safe Eclipse Viewing Tips
For those planning to observe the sun during the eclipse, it’s crucial to have the appropriate eye protection in place before looking up.
Those in the path of totality can briefly remove their glasses, solar filters, or viewers for 2-4 minutes when the moon fully obscures the sun. However, as soon as the smallest bit of the sun becomes visible, you should immediately use your viewing device.
Approved solar filters should have an ISO 12312-2:2015 certification with the manufacturer’s name and address printed on the product, as per the National Parks Service. Do not use solar filters missing the ISO certification information, scratched, damaged, or made before 2015.
Learn how a total solar eclipse can affect the weather here.
Preparing for the Total Solar Eclipse
If you want to stock up before the total solar eclipse or check the quality of an item you already own, the American Astronomical Society has compiled a list of approved manufacturers of solar viewers and filters.
With emphasis on eye safety, it’s easy to overlook skin protection. NASA reminds us that the sun will still be very bright, potentially exposing your skin to its rays for hours. Wearing protective clothing and using sunscreen can help prevent skin damage.
Ohio astronomer Jay Reynolds advises refraining from driving during the total eclipse due to odd visual effects caused by the unusual light source.
Reynolds explains that colors may appear faded and shadows may go from sharp to fuzzy before and after the eclipse. On a typical evening, it takes 45 minutes from the beginning of a setting sun to complete darkness, but during a total solar eclipse, this transition happens in just five minutes.
If you find yourself on the road when the light starts to fade, don’t forget to enable your automatic headlight function or manually switch on your headlights.
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