by A total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday, giving millions a rare opportunity to see the evening sky temporarily darken as the moon blocks the face of the sun.
The path of the eclipse cuts across Mexico, 15 US states and a small part of eastern Canada. In all other states in the continental US, viewers will be treated to a partial solar eclipse, with the moon appearing to take a bite out of the sun and block some of its light.
Here’s everything you need to know about the rare celestial event.
What is a solar eclipse?
Solar eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth align. The moon passes between Earth and the sun, temporarily blocking sunlight and casting a shadow on Earth.
A total solar eclipse is when the moon completely hides the sun, while a partial solar eclipse means that it only blocks part of the sun’s face.
Solar eclipses only occur with the new moon. Because the moon’s orbit around the Earth is tilted, the three bodies do not always line up in a way that creates an eclipse.
“Imagine if the orbit of the moon was in the orbit of the Earth in the orbit of the Earth around the sun – if that were the case, then every new moon, you would have a total solar eclipse and every full moon, you would have a lunar eclipse,” Neil DeGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, told NBC News. “So, because things don’t always line up, it adds to the variety of the event and the specialness of the event.”
Where and when will the eclipse be visible?
This year’s eclipse will follow a slightly wider path over more populated areas of the continental US than other recent total solar eclipses.
NASA estimates that 31.6 million people live within the so-called path of totality, where the total solar eclipse will be visible. An additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of the path, according to the agency.
The trail passes through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Small parts of Michigan and Tennessee will be able to see totality if conditions clear.
After the eclipse crosses into Canada, it will pass over southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Wales, to the east of Nova Scotia.
Those outside the path of totality can still participate in the astronomical event by viewing a partial solar eclipse – visible across all 48 states of the contiguous United States – or on a NASA live stream.
The time, including how long totality lasts, depends on location, but some spots will see the moon completely cover the sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
Below is a list of times for some cities along the path of totality, as provided by NASA. Several other resources, including NationalEclipse.com and TimeandDate.com, can also help people plan.
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Dallas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:23 pm CT and total at 1:40 pm
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Little Rock, Arkansas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:33 pm CT and totality at 1:51 pm
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Cleveland: Partial eclipse begins at 1:59 pm ET and totality at 3:13 pm
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Buffalo, New York: Partial eclipse begins at 2:04 pm ET and totality at 3:18 pm
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Lancaster, New Hampshire: Partial eclipse begins at 2:16 pm ET and total at 3:27 pm
How to safely see a solar eclipse
It is never safe to look directly at the sun, even when it is partially or mostly covered by the moon. Special eclipse glasses or pin projectors are needed to safely view solar eclipses and prevent eye damage. Failure to take proper precautions could result in severe eye injury, according to NASA.
Eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than normal sunglasses and are specially made to enable wearers to view the sun during these types of celestial events.
Sky watchers should not see any part of the sun through binoculars, telescopes or camera lenses unless special solar filters are attached. Eclipse glasses should not be used with these devices, as they will not provide adequate protection.
However, during the few full minutes, when the moon is completely blocking the sun, it is safe to look with the naked eye.
Avoid fake eclipse glasses. On legitimate pairs, the lenses should appear silver on the front and black on the inside. The manufacturer’s name and address should be clearly labelled, and should not be torn or perforated. Check, too, for the ISO logo and the code “IS 12312-2” printed on the inside.
If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can make a homemade pinhole projector, which lets sunlight in through a small hole, focuses it, and projects it onto a piece of paper, wall, or other surface to create an image of the sun. safe to look at.
All you need is two pieces of white cardboard or plain white paper, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack. Cut a 1 to 2 inch square or rectangle from the center of a piece of white paper or cardboard. Tape aluminum foil over that cut shape, then use a pin or thumb to poke a small hole in the foil.
During the eclipse, place a second piece of white paper or cardboard on the ground as a screen and hold the projector with the foil facing up and your back to the sun. Adjusting how far you hold the projector from the second piece of paper will change the size of the image on the transfer screen.
What to look for when viewing the total solar eclipse
For those in the path of totality, there are some fun milestones to keep an eye on as the total solar eclipse progresses.
As the eclipse progresses and the sun gets thinner in the sky, it will start to get dark, according to Tyson.
When the last rays of sunlight are about to fade, watch out for the “diamond ring effect”: The sun’s atmosphere will appear as an illuminated halo, and the last light that is still visible will look like a diamond ring enormous.
As sunlight diminishes even more, the rough terrain of the moon will create an effect known as Baily beads. Tiny “beads” of light will only be visible for a few seconds around the dark moon, as the last bits of sunlight pass through the mountains and valleys of the moon.
When the moon is completely blocking the sun, it is safe to remove eclipse glasses and watch the total solar eclipse with the naked eye.
Some lucky sky watchers might even catch a glimpse of a comet.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks – nicknamed the “devil’s comet” because an eruption last year left it with two distinct devil-horn-shaped trails of gas and ice – is currently visible from the Northern Hemisphere as it hurtles through the inner solar system. .
The comet can be seen in the early evening looking towards the west-northwest sky. During the eclipse, when the skies darken during totality, the comet may be seen near Jupiter, but its visibility will depend on whether it is in the middle of a rupture and therefore brighter than is usual.
Most likely, all eyes will be on the alignment of the moon and the sun.
“Most people won’t even notice,” Tyson said. “But if you know how to look, it’s there.”
When will the next solar eclipse be?
The next total solar eclipse will be in 2026, but it will mostly pass over the Arctic Ocean, with some visibility in Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and northern Spain. In 2027, a total solar eclipse will be visible in Spain and a slave of northern Africa.
The next total solar eclipse will be visible from North America in 2033, except over Alaska. Then in 2044, a total solar eclipse will cross Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, parts of Canada and Greenland.
The next total solar eclipse to cross the continental US from coast to coast will occur in 2045. The total path of that eclipse will cut through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
