A total Solar Eclipse will happen in North America on Monday.
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| Eclipse watchers look at the sun through special protective glasses in Stockton, California, United States (US). Photo: Clifford Otto, The Stockton Record/USA TODAY Network |
According to usatoday.com:
On Monday, a total solar eclipse will cross North America – a phenomenon that has not taken place in the United States in seven years, and astronomers say will not take place again in the U.S. for another two decades.
Millions will likely gaze into the sky on April 8 for the rare experience to witness three celestial spheres − the sun, moon and Earth − line up partially or fully depending on where you are viewing it.
What time will the total solar eclipse begin? What path will it take across the nation? How do I safely watch it without damaging my eyes?
A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears as the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk from Earth, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes.
What states are on the path of totality?
The total solar eclipse will chart a 115-mile-wide path of totality across portions of Mexico, the United States and Canada.
In the U.S. alone, hundreds of cities and smaller towns in 13 states lie along the path. An estimated 31 million Americans already live on the path.
What time is the solar eclipse?
Mexico’s Pacific coast will be the first location in continental North America to experience totality, which will occur at about 11:07 a.m. PDT, according to NASA.
As the moon’s shadow travels northeast, totality in the U.S. will begin at 1:27 p.m. CDT in Eagle Pass, Texas. From there, the path will cut diagonally across the country before ending its time in the U.S. around 3:35 p.m. EDT in Lee, Maine, and entering Canada’s maritime provinces, according to nationaleclipse.com.
How to safely view the solar eclipse
Unlike partial solar eclipses, a total eclipse offers spectators a unique opportunity to gaze upon it with the naked eye, but only when the moon completely blocks out the sun and darkness falls – referred to as totality.
While you’re unlikely to go blind, gazing directly at the sun’s rays can do some serious damage to your retinas. So until the moment that totality occurs, proper safety eyewear is still a must, according to NASA.
