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An astronomical spectacle is all set to captivate skywatchers as a total solar eclipse is set to grace the skies across North America, turning day into night, on April 8. Total eclipses are dramatic and turn the sky dark, but they are only visible from a few locations. This is why the opportunity to experience an eclipse is often called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
What is a Solar Eclipse?
A solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon where the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and blocks the Sun's light either entirely or partially.
When the moon completely covers the sun, it casts a shadow on Earth, forming what is called a "path of totality." This path is a relatively narrow band that moves across the surface. People standing inside this band can witness a total solar eclipse, provided the weather and clouds cooperate. In the path of totality, where the Moon completely covers the Sun, the sky will become dark, as if it were dawn or dusk.
Unless people are on that line—the path of totality—they will only see a partial eclipse. For them, the sky will appear slightly darker than it was before the eclipse, depending on how much the Moon blocks the Sun in their location.
Solar Eclipse 2024: Sutak Timing of Surya Grahan, and other details in 10 points
1) “A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk," NASA's official website stated," the NASA wrote in its website.
2) This time, stargazers in India will not be able to witness a solar eclipse. It will be visible in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other parts of North America.
3) Cosmic lovers in the US can have a live view of the total solar eclipse at the places where it is visible. It will commence at 9.12 pm today, and will conclude at 2.22 am on April 9.
4) There will be no sutak period in India as solar eclipse will not be visible here this year.
5) Stargazers are advised to look at direct sunlight as it is dangerous to do so without safety gear or eye protection. To see this celestial beauty, one must use specialized eye protection.
6) To safeguard your eyes, people should use a special-purpose solar filter over the front optics of the telescope, camera lens, or binoculars before any part of the bright Sun is viewed.
7) Aditya L1, the first solar mission launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), will follow and record the Sun during the total solar eclipse on April 8.
8) NASA will livestream Total Solar Eclipse 2024 on NASA+, broadcast on NASA TV, and on the agency’s official website.
9) The US space agency will live stream the eclipse through a telescope on NASA Television's media channel and YouTube without any commentary. The three hours of nonstop streaming will start at 1 pm.
10) This year it will be a rare total solar eclipse where the moon will entirely cover the sun and the spectacle will appear as a ring of fire.
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Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024
A total solar eclipse will take place on Monday, April 8, 2024, visible across North America and dubbed the Great North American Eclipse by some media. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs only in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometers wide.
Occurring only one day after perigee (perigee on Sunday, April 7, 2024), the Moon's apparent diameter will be 5.5% larger than average. With a magnitude of 1.0566, its longest duration of totality will be of 4 minutes and 28.13 seconds near the Mexican town of Nazas, Durango, (about 4 mi (6 km) north), and the nearby city of Torreón, Coahuila.
This eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse to be visible in the provinces of Canada since February 26, 1979, the first in Mexico since July 11, 1991, and the first in the United States since August 21, 2017. It will be the only total solar eclipse in the 21st century where totality will be visible in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. It will also be the last total solar eclipse visible in the contiguous United States until August 23, 2044.
