2024 Total Solar Eclipse: A solar eclipse is an astronomical event in which the Moon passes in front of the Earth and the Sun, partially or completely blocking the Sun’s light.
A complete solar eclipse that will transform day into night over North America on April 8 is expected to provide sky watchers with an amazing astronomical show. Though they are only seen from a few places, total eclipses are spectacular and cause the sky to go dark. This is the reason why seeing an eclipse is sometimes referred to as a once-in-a-lifetime event.
A solar eclipse: what is it?
When the Moon moves in front of the Earth and the Sun, it can completely or partially obscure the Sun’s light, a process known as a solar eclipse.
An area of the moon that obscures the sun creates a shadow on Earth known as a “path of totality.” This path traverses the surface as a rather thin band. If the clouds and weather align, anybody standing inside this ring can see a total solar eclipse. The sky will grow gloomy, resembling dawn or dusk, when the Moon fully obscures the Sun in the line of totality.
People will only witness a partial eclipse if they are not on that line, or the path of totality. As 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.
Date and Time of Total Solar Eclipse:
April 8 is when the 2024 total solar eclipse will take place. A 185-kilometer span between Mexico, the US, and Canada will be visible for the totality, or complete darkening of the sky. It will also be viewed in up to eighteen different US states. However, Indian skywatchers won’t be able to see it.
The complete solar eclipse is scheduled to start at 9:12 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST) on April 8, reach totality at 10:08 p.m., and conclude at 2:22 a.m. on April 9, 2024. Totality is expected to strike the Pacific coast of Mexico first, at approximately 11:07 am PDT, and exit Maine at approximately 1:30 pm PDT.
Duration of the Total Solar Eclipse.
Although totality will only persist for approximately four minutes, the entire process will take roughly two and a half hours. According to NASA, during the period of complete darkness, the greatest spectacle might endure up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds.
“The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017,” states that “the duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, almost double that.” The duration of totality for most locations along the centerline (path of totality) will be between 3.5 and 4 minutes.
How Can I Watch the Eclipse Safely?
The brightness of the Sun’s surface is so great that staring at even a little fraction of it can cause individual retinal cells to be damaged. During its partial stages, sky watchers worldwide are encouraged to wear protective eyewear, such as authorized eclipse glasses. If you don’t, you risk burning the retinas of your eyes, causing irreversible damage or maybe blindness.
How Can I Watch a Total Solar Eclipse Online?
If you are unable to see the solar eclipse in person, you can watch the live feed from NASA. Beginning on April 8 at 5:00 p.m. GMT (10:30 p.m. IST), the space agency will broadcast live till 8:00 p.m. GMT (1:30 a.m. IST).
In addition, NASA will be conducting expert chats and offering telescope views of the eclipse from several locations along the eclipse path during the program.