April 2024 total solar eclipse: When and where to watch in the United States

Want to watch a total solar eclipse without leaving the United States? Your opportunity is coming relatively soon – but after that, not for another 20 years.

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. According to NASAThe neighboring United States will not experience another total solar eclipse until August 2044.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun, darkening the sky. While solar eclipses themselves are not uncommon, they are only visible from part of the Earth at a time — making total eclipses visible from a nearby house rare.

The last total solar eclipse seen from the United States was in 2017, from Oregon to South Carolina.

Only observers on the path of totality will see the face of the sun completely erased by the moon.

This road It enters the United States in Texas in the early afternoon before sweeping through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Observers in off-course states will still be able to see a partial eclipse.

Those who want to travel to see the college may need to plan in advance or risk high hotel rates. A month before the 2017 eclipse, CNBC reported that hotel executives were seeing “strong double-digit demand” along the way. For a room at one of these locations, prices jumped from $199 to $425 in just one week.

Totality only lasts a few minutes, but the phases of a total solar eclipse last for hours.

It begins with “first contact,” when the moon appears to touch the sun for the first time. This is the beginning of the partial eclipse phase, when the moon passes between us and the sun, but does not completely cover its face. The crescent of the sun will be visible.

Once the moon covers most of the sun’s face, observers may see small grains of light. Called Bailey’s beads, they are caused by rays of light passing through the rocky surface of the moon. NASA says it is short-lived and may not be visible to all observers. When the moon almost completely obscures the face of the sun, only one bright spot will remain. This is called the “diamond ring” effect.

Finally, college begins. This is the only time you can safely look at the eclipse directly – you’ll need eclipse glasses to look before and after it.

“During the process of totality, take a few seconds to observe the world around you,” says the NASA website. “You may be able to see the sunset in 360 degrees. You may also be able to see some particularly bright stars or planets in the dark sky. The air temperature will drop and there will often be an eerie silence around you.”

The dark sky even tricks nocturnal animals into thinking it is night time. You may hear Crickets chirping or croaking frogs.

The moment ends as quickly as it began, with the radiance and then another “diamond” on the far side of the moon. Observers will see the partial eclipse for another hour or so, with coverage gradually decreasing until sunlight shines freely.

When something happens to you, it may intensify. On October 14, 2023, less than a year before the total solar eclipse, the United States will experience an annular solar eclipse.

This is what happens when the moon passes between the earth and the sun at its farthest point in its orbit. Because the moon is farther away, it appears smaller and does not cover the face of the sun. NASA says This creates a dramatic “ring of fire” effect.

The complete annular eclipse It will be visible in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas, as well as some parts of California, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona. All 48 of the contiguous states will see a partial eclipse, though the impact will be limited to observers in the northeast.