Total Solar Eclipse 2024: A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun’s light completely or partially.
An astronomical extravaganza is likely to enthrall skywatchers on April 8, when a total solar eclipse will transform day into darkness across North America. Total eclipses are stunning and darken the sky, but they can only be seen from a few sites. This is why seeing an eclipse is frequently described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomena in which the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun’s light completely or partially.
When the moon totally eclipses the sun, it throws a shadow on Earth, creating a “path of totality.” This path is a small band that travels across the surface. People standing inside this ring can see a total solar eclipse if the weather and clouds coincide. The sky will darken as if it were day or dusk along the path of totality, where the Moon totally covers the Sun.
Unless they are on the path of totality, they will only observe a partial eclipse. The sky will appear slightly darker to them after the eclipse, depending on how much the Moon blocks the Sun in their position.
Total Solar Eclipse Date and Timing:
The total solar eclipse of 2024 will take place on April 8. The total darkening of the sky, commonly known as totality, will be visible throughout a 185-kilometer area between Mexico, the United States and Canada. It will be shown in up to 18 different states in the United States. However, skywatchers in India would be unable to see it.
According to Indian Standard Time (IST), the total solar eclipse will begin at 9:12 p.m. on April 8, totality at 10:08 p.m., and terminate at 2:22 a.m. on April 9, 2024. Totality will initially occur on the Pacific coast of Mexico at 11:07 a.m. PDT, and it will exit Maine about 1:30 p.m. PDT.
Duration of the Total Solar Eclipse
Although totality will only persist for around four minutes, the entire process will take roughly two and a half hours. According to NASA, during the period of complete darkness, the greatest spectacle might endure up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds.
“The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017,” states that “the duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, almost double that.” The length of totality for most locations along the centerline (path of totality) will be between 3.5 and 4 minutes.
How Can I Watch the Eclipse Safely?
The brightness of the Sun’s surface is so great that staring at even a little fraction of it can cause individual retinal cells to be damaged. During its partial stages, skywatchers worldwide are encouraged to wear protective eyewear, such as authorized eclipse glasses. If you don’t, you risk burning the retinas of your eyes, causing irreversible damage or maybe blindness.
How Can I Watch a Total Solar Eclipse Online?
If you are unable to see the solar eclipse in person, you may watch the live feed from NASA. Beginning on April 8 at 5:00 p.m. GMT (10:30 p.m. IST), the space agency will broadcast live till 8:00 p.m. GMT (1:30 a.m. IST).
In addition, NASA will be conducting expert chats and offering telescopic views of the eclipse from several locations along the eclipse path during the program.
Additionally, you may see the live broadcast that the McDonald Observatory in Texas is hosting. On April 8, at 4:30 p.m. GMT (10:00 p.m. IST), the skywatching website timeanddate.com will also broadcast live coverage of the total solar eclipse on its YouTube page.