Here are answers to some important questions about the total solar eclipse that will occur on April 8th.
What happens during a total solar eclipse?
The moon lies in a straight line between the sun and the earth, creating a dark, fast-moving shadow on the earth’s surface. This particular type of shadow is called the umbra.
For those viewing from inside the moon’s so-called totality path, the sun’s rays are completely blocked and the surrounding landscape is briefly plunged into darkness. Observers outside of its path will see a partial solar eclipse as the moon blocks part of the sun, creating a bright shadow known as the penumbra.
When and where will it happen?
The main event begins at sunrise on April 8th in a corner of the South Pacific. The moon’s shadow will make landfall on the west coast of Mexico that morning, then head toward Texas and across much of the United States.
When the penumbra reaches the southwestern corner of Ontario just before 2:00 p.m. EDT, a partial solar eclipse will be followed by a total solar eclipse that will begin around 3:12 p.m., according to the Sun. Eclipse2024.org. The length of a total solar eclipse is determined by how close it is to the center of its total orbit. The total orbit will encircle the southern tip of Lake Erie and the southeastern corner of Lake Ontario on April 8th.
The northern edge of the umbra, or the shadow of the total solar eclipse, crosses a narrow strip of southern Ontario, narrowly missing Toronto, then moves to Montreal, arriving briefly at the total eclipse around 3:26 p.m. EDT. To do.
After passing through northern Maine, the umbra is expected to enter central New Brunswick just after 4:30 p.m. ADT. About three minutes later, the skies over western Prince Edward Island darken significantly.
After cutting off the northern tip of Cape Breton, the umbra will head toward the southwest corner of Newfoundland and is expected to make landfall at 5:09 p.m. local time. At around 5:16 p.m., we left the northeast coast of the island and headed into the darkening North Atlantic Ocean.
How long will a total solar eclipse last?
The longest time was 4 minutes and 28 seconds in the center of a pitch-black road over northern Mexico. The speed increases as the shadow moves east. As a result, the total duration at the center of the road will decrease from a maximum of 3 minutes and 38 seconds on the Canadian side of Lake Erie to just 2 minutes and 54 seconds in northeastern Newfoundland. Eclipse2024.org.
The duration decreases as you move away from the center line of the path.
How fast does the moon’s shadow travel?
According to NASA, the moon’s umbra typically moves at an average speed of 2,400 kilometers per hour.
How can I safely view a solar eclipse?
Even during a partial solar eclipse, looking directly at the sun can damage your eyes. Protect your eyes with certified solar eclipse glasses available for purchase online. And make sure there are no scratches or tears.
Once the moon completely blocks the sun, you can remove your eclipse glasses and observe the sun’s corona, the faint tendril of light that marks the outer limits of the sun’s energetic atmosphere. However, as the moon moves away and the partial solar eclipse resumes, eye protection will be essential.
How big is the moon’s shadow?
The moon’s diameter is about 3,400 kilometers, but its shadow narrows as it reaches Earth. During next month’s total solar eclipse, the path of the umbra will be about 185 kilometers wide. The width varies from eclipse to eclipse.
What should I be careful about when a total solar eclipse arrives?
Assuming there are few clouds, the sun’s light disappears into dusk, revealing twinkling stars and planets, and the horizon glows orange like a sunset. Temperatures will also drop, which could cause nearby animals to behave strangely, experts say.
Be sure to observe the appearance of Bailey beads and the diamond ring effect, a cosmic phenomenon that only appears to the naked eye during a total solar eclipse.
Are total solar eclipses rare?
According to NASA, they appear somewhere on Earth once or twice each year. In most places, it typically takes 400 to 1,000 years to reappear.
However, Nova Scotia saw total solar eclipses in 1970 and 1972. And next month’s solar eclipse will also occur on the northern tip of Cape Breton Island.
Since 1963, Canadians have witnessed five total solar eclipses, but the 2008 total was observed over the upper Arctic.
When is the next total solar eclipse?
In 2026, a total solar eclipse will glide over northern Greenland, Iceland, and Spain.
The next total solar eclipse in North America will occur on March 30, 2033, but only in Alaska. Those living further south will have to wait until 2044, when the moon’s shadow will spread over western Canada, Montana and North Dakota.
—By Michael McDonald, Canadian Press
