On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will occur in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. This type of solar eclipse only occurs when the sun and moon line up perfectly in the sky, causing the moon to cover the entire disk of the sun and cast a shadow on Earth. The path this shadow follows as it crosses the ground at speeds exceeding 2,400 kilometers per hour is called a total path, and during this eclipse, the shadow will cross from the west coast of Mexico, across 13 states of the United States, to Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, and beyond. At any given location, totality lasts from about 90 seconds to nearly 4.5 minutes.
During this period, the sky becomes dark as at dusk and the temperature drops by 10 degrees. Viewers will be able to remove their eclipse glasses, which are essential during the partial phase of the eclipse, and look directly at the Sun, which is covered by the Moon. At this range, the sun’s outermost layer, the corona, becomes visible. At other times, it may be too dark to see due to the glare of the sun. Total solar eclipses like this one are rare opportunities for researchers studying the sun and have led to major scientific advances over the years.
Solar eclipse in 2024
On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.
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Source: www.newscientist.com
