On Monday, April 8th, 2024, millions had the opportunity to view a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical phenomenon from their hometown. From times varying from 1 to 4 pm ET, a total solar eclipse traveled a roughly 100-mile-wide path across the continental United States. This eclipse completely blocked out the sun for a brief 4-minute moment, which affected millions of people watching the eclipse from Northern Mexico to Maine.
A solar eclipse is a lunar event that occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or part of the Sun’s light from reaching Earth. Depending on the time and place, the moon may partially or completely eclipse the sun’s light.
A ‘total solar eclipse’ has not occurred since 2017, so April 8th surely marked an incredibly unique view. The next total solar eclipse to cross through North America isn’t expected until 2044, so if you missed it, you might have to wait quite a while.
The best place where you could see this eclipse was in the “path of totality”—a thin, 100-mile wide band in which the complete solar ellipse effect would be visible. The most popular viewing spots were parts of central Texas, Ohio, or New York, where this line passed through major cities like Dallas, Cleveland, or Syracuse. Some parts of Texas, including Fort Worth and Radar Base, experienced up to 4 minutes
and 28 seconds of the full eclipse. If you had a plan to watch, though, hopefully, you grabbed a pair of solar viewers (safe-to-watch glasses) to have the complete ability to look at the solar eclipse in its prime.
In 2024, the path crossed more major population centers than the 2017 eclipse, allowing 31.6 million people to see the eclipse without leaving their city, versus just 12 million in 2017.
If you’ve never seen a total solar eclipse before, put it on your bucket list and make sure you don’t miss the next ones. It is truly a breathtaking sight. You won’t regret traveling to see the Sun’s aura while you stand in the shadow of the moon!
