A solar eclipse is coming April 8. Here鈥檚 what you need to know.
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Caitlin Babcock Staff writer
On April 8, for , many Americans will have the rare chance to witness a total solar eclipse. The last time that happened in North America was 2017 鈥� and the next time won鈥檛 be until 2044. The eclipse, which occurs when the moon moves in front of the sun, will pass through a more densely populated path than in 2017, letting more people watch the听darkened skies from their own homes. Eclipse watchers are also expected to travel to localities along the path.听
How can I watch the eclipse?
The stage in the eclipse when the moon entirely covers the sun, called totality, will last听about four minutes.听The听,听which starts on Mexico鈥檚 Pacific coast, will cross into听Texas, slant听across the Midwest, and end in Maine. All in all, 15 states will be in that听narrow听pathway, including cities like Cleveland and Indianapolis.听Totality occurs at different times听in different听locations. In Dallas, it听will start at 1:40 p.m. local time. If you鈥檙e in听Burlington, Vermont, it will be 3:26 p.m.听
Why We Wrote This
The total solar eclipse over North America next week offers a viewing opportunity that won鈥檛 be repeated until 2044. Eclipses not only are wonders, but also can play a role in helping us understand the cosmos.
The partial eclipse, in which the moon covers only part of the sun, will last a little longer than an hour. In this zone, that viewers will need to wear听protective eclipse glasses if they want to look at the sun directly, or use a special filter to observe it via camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope. The American Astronomical Society has a list of which glasses and filters are safe to use.听
NASA
When the sun is completely covered in the path of totality, viewers can remove听their glasses for a few minutes and look directly at the sky. During this time, the temperature will drop, and birds will go silent. Depending on their location, some viewers may be able to see some particularly bright stars, or a 360-degree sunset.听
What if I don鈥檛 live in the totality line?
Unlike in 2017, the solar eclipse will be at least partially visible in 48 U.S. states. Even for听communities听far from totality, there will be interesting changes to watch. that leading up to the eclipse, some colors听in natural light听may appear saturated, and shadows may start to look fuzzy. As the moon glides across the sun, viewers can use a colander, a straw hat, or even a Ritz cracker to project shadow images of the sun鈥檚 crescent shape. They should听also be on the lookout听for unusual animal behaviors.听Right before the eclipse, wildlife like birds and insects might听act as if it were nighttime.听
What are some scientific experiments to follow during the eclipse?听
Eclipses are a unique time for scientists to gather data that鈥檚 usually unavailable. For example, an eclipse allows them to observe the sun鈥檚 lower atmosphere, which is during a solar eclipse because the sun鈥檚 rays don鈥檛 block it out. An eclipse also helps them study 鈥渟pace weather,鈥欌�� which can sometimes cause electrical blackouts on earth.听
Researchers will also be studying animal reactions at zoos. During the 2017 eclipse, some scientists noticed behaviors that ranged from galloping giraffes to sleeping gorillas. This time around, researchers will have teams stationed at zoos, and they鈥檝e also called on citizen scientists,听or hobbyists and everyday individuals with a love for science, to send in their wildlife observations from around the country.听听
How are communities engaging with the eclipse?听
Museums and community centers across the country are hosting听special听events听on April 8. The听Smithsonian鈥檚 National Air and Space Museum will set up telescopes on the National Mall听in Washington. The听central library in听Austin, Texas, will host a public viewing with activities for kids. And听Aroostook County听in Maine is designating some green spaces as 鈥渟tar parks鈥� and equipping them with restrooms and parking.
鈥淥ne of the reasons why this is a bigger deal than 2017 is that 36 million people naturally just live in that path of totality,鈥� says John Jerit, CEO of American Paper Optics, a company that designs听and makes听eclipse glasses.听
To make safe viewing more accessible, American Paper Optics has created almost 5 million eclipse glasses for donation to 10,000 U.S. libraries, using funding from the听Gordon and Betty听Moore Foundation and Space Science Institute.
As libraries hand out the free听glasses, many of them are also educating recipients听about the eclipse. Jean Stehle, a librarian at Newton Middle School in Massachusetts, recently helped students act out the role of sun, moon, and Earth in an eclipse simulation. The students asked questions about how their pets would react, and excitedly pointed out their location on a map of the eclipse鈥檚 path.听
鈥淣ot everyone cares about this, not everyone鈥檚 gonna stop what they鈥檙e doing, but I believe the majority of the people will,鈥� says Ms. Stehle. 鈥淎nd I think it really speaks to the power of wonder and the natural world.鈥澨�
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify the funding source for the eclipse glasses donated to U.S. libraries.听
