Solar Eclipse 8 -April- 24

Total solar eclipse 2024:

People in North America will be able to witness a total solar eclipse on April 8 as the moon completely blocks the sun.

On Monday, millions of people in North America will have the opportunity to witness a truly unique natural event as a total solar eclipse will be visible from various locations in Mexico, the US, and Canada.

The US space agency NASA states that during a total eclipse, which happens when the moon totally blocks out the sun, skies will darken for a short while "as if it were dawn or dusk."

It will be visible from what is known as the "path of totality," a band that is 185 km (115 mi) wide and extends from the western coast of Mexico through the US and up to the easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada.

On its website, NASA states that "people along the path of totality, weather permitting, will see the sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the sun."

According to Anthony Aveni, an emeritus professor at Colgate University in New York and the author of the book In the Shadow of the Moon: The Science, Magic, and Mystery of Solar Eclipses, the path of totality is truly "where it's at" on Monday.

He explained to Al Jazeera, "It's that precious three minutes... of totality when you see a whole range of phenomena that you just don't see in everyday life." "You stop what you're doing and stare in awe at nature because it takes your breath away."

How frequently do total solar eclipses happen then? How much time does it usually last? How and where can you watch without risk? Everything you require is provided here.

A man uses protective glasses to observe the solar eclipse over South America, in Bariloche, Argentina, on December 14, 2020 [File: Carlos Barria/Reuters] man uses protective glasses to observe the solar eclipse over South America, in Bariloche, Argentina, on December 14, 2020 [File: Carlos Barria/Reuters]

Where will the total eclipse be visible from, and at what time?

The total eclipse on Monday will be visible from several locations in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

At 11:07 a.m. local time (18:07 GMT), it will cross into continental North America in Mazatlan, in the northwest Mexican state of Sinaloa. At 5:16 p.m. local time (19:46 GMT), it will cross the continent on Canada's Atlantic coast near Newfoundland.

The eclipse will cross into Texas at 1:27 p.m. local time (18:27 GMT) and emerge from Maine at 3:35 p.m. local time (19:35 GMT) in the United States.

It will only last a few minutes, and depending on your location along the path of totality, you can determine exactly when it will be visible.

For instance, totality begins at 3:16 p.m. local time (19:16 GMT) and ends at 3:20 p.m. (19:20 GMT) in Erie, Pennsylvania.

A few minutes later, it will arrive in Buffalo, New York, where totality begins at 3:18 p.m. local time (19:18 GMT) and ends at 3:22 p.m. (19:22 GMT).

Monday's eclipse will also be partially visible for roughly two hours, both before and after totality.

What happens during a total solar eclipse?

The moon travels around Earth once a month in addition to the Earth's orbit around the sun.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, completely obstructing its light on one side and casting a shadow across a small portion of the planet on the other.

The moon's orbit is shaped like a narrow "path" or track by the dark inner region of the shadow, called the "umbra." The regions where the total eclipse can be seen are those along this path that are directly under the shadow, particularly along its centerline.

This track is 16,000 km (10,000 miles) long and roughly 160 km (100 miles) wide.

"If it was a lunar eclipse, it would be visible to people all over the world for a few hours. However, total eclipses only occur along a particular path of the new moon, according to NASA eclipse ambassador Khady Adama Ndao.

Only during a new moon does this eclipse happen. And what causes a total eclipse is the moon's orbital position in relation to the sun, Earth, and all three at a particular moment in time.

During an eclipse, the moon will appear to be completely covered by Earth, but in actuality, the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun. The moon appears to be large enough to cover the sun during a total eclipse due to the increased distance between the moon and the sun.

On Monday, those who are not in the direct path of totality but are nearby may be able to see a partial eclipse. At that point, the moon only partially blocks the sun.

A partial eclipse can be seen in areas that are partially covered by the "penumbra," or faint portions of the moon's wider shadow.