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 skywatchers with an amazing astronomical show. Though they are only visible 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.
What is a Solar Eclipse?
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. Anybody standing inside this ring can see a total solar eclipse if the clouds and weather align. The sky will grow gloomy, resembling dawn or dusk, when the Moon fully obscures the Sun in the line of totality.
Date and timings:
The 2024 total solar eclipse will take place on April 8. The totality, or complete darkening of the sky, will be visible over a 185-kilometre span between Mexico, the US, and Canada. It can also be visible in up to eighteen different US states. However, skywatchers in India won’t be able to see it.
The complete solar eclipse will start at 9:12 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) on April 8, reach totality at 10:08 pm, and conclude at 2:22 am on April 9, 2024. Totality will strike Mexico’s Pacific coast first, at approximately 11:07 am PDT, and exit Maine at approximately 1:30 pm PDT.
Duration
Although totality will only persist for approximately four minutes, the process will take roughly two and a half hours. According to NASA, the greatest spectacle might endure up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds during complete darkness.
How to see the eclipse safely?
The brightness of the Sun’s surface is so great that staring at even a small fraction of it can damage individual retinal cells. During its partial stages, skywatchers worldwide are encouraged to wear protective eyewear, such as authorised eclipse glasses. If you don’t, you risk burning the retinas of your eyes, causing irreversible damage or even blindness.
How to watch online?
If you cannot see the solar eclipse in person, you can watch the live feed from NASA. Beginning on April 8 at 5:00 pm GMT (10:30 pm IST), the space agency will broadcast live until 8:00 pm GMT (1:30 am IST).
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