Eyes to the sky! Why is the total solar eclipse in April a must-see moment?
April 8, 2024 will be the last total solar eclipse to be seen in the contiguous United States for the next 20 years.
The highly anticipated total solar eclipse of 2024 will cross North America on Monday, giving millions of skywatchers a chance to see a rare cosmic event that won't be viewable again for 20 years.
The path of the total eclipse will pass over part of northern Mexico before entering the United States, then it will cross 13 states from Texas to Maine, where the spectacle is expected to attract huge crowds.
If you're not lucky enough to be in the path of a total eclipse this time, you'll have another chance — all you have to do is wait until the 2040s.
Here's what we know about the next total solar eclipse that will pass over the United States
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When can the next total solar eclipse be seen from the United States?
It will be 20 years before there is a chance to see a total solar eclipse in the United States again.
According to NASA, after Monday's total solar eclipse, the next one that can be viewed from the contiguous United States will be on August 23, 2044.
2044 path of total solar eclipse
Unfortunately, the total solar eclipse of 2044 will not have as wide a range across the United States as the 2024 eclipse.
The path of totality through 2044 will touch only three states, according to the Planetary Society, a nonprofit organization involved in research, public outreach and political advocacy for space.
The eclipse will begin in Greenland, pass through Canada, and end at sunset in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
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2045 solar eclipse
While the total eclipse of 2044 will touch only three states, the eclipse of 2045 will have a more powerful path across the United States.
Expected to occur on Saturday, August 12, 2045, this solar eclipse will follow a total path over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. , and Georgia.
It will also be possible to see a partial solar eclipse in 35 other states, according to Bloomberg News National Eclipse website
What is a total solar eclipse?
Any celestial body such as the moon or planet that passes between two other bodies can create eclipse By blocking the view of objects such as the sun.
In the case of a solar eclipse, the moon comes between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from a small part of our planet. Partial eclipses, when part of the sun remains visible, are most common, making a total eclipse a rare sight.
NASA says a total eclipse could result in a period of darkness lasting several minutes, during which nocturnal animals move while confused birds and insects may remain silent.
When a total solar eclipse arrives, people are able to see the Sun's outer atmosphere called the corona, which is usually obscured by the Sun's bright surface. This provides scientists with an unusual opportunity to study the corona.
Totality also offers spectators the opportunity to view the stunning spectacle with the naked eye, although proper safety glasses are still required for the rest of the time.
What countries are on the path of the 2024 total eclipse?
Mexico's Pacific coast will be the first location in continental North America to experience the totality, which is expected to occur at about 11:07 a.m. PT. According to NASA.
Since the moon's shadow will move toward the northeast, the total eclipse in the United States will begin in Texas at 1:27 PM CST. The route will then cut diagonally across the country, passing through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.
The eclipse's path is expected to end in Maine at 3:35 pm EST before visiting the Maritime Provinces of Canada, according to estimates.
View interactive maps of Route 2024.
Contributing: Doyle Rice, Ramon Padilla and Janet Lohrke, USA TODAY
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