North America will not see such an event until 2044.
A total solar eclipse will darken skies across much of North America on Monday, April 8, but Metro Vancouver residents won’t be able to see the full effects of this unusual display.
Other parts of the continent see the sky completely darken as the moon moves in front of the sun. The Vancouver metropolitan area will only cover about 17 per cent of the sun, said Murray Leacock, an astronomer at Macmillan Space Centre.
“People in Vancouver will be able to see the eclipse, but our visibility will be pretty minimal,” she told VIA
The partial solar eclipse will begin at 10:43 a.m. on April 8 and reach its full extent (17 percent) at 11:30 a.m. The event ends at 12:20pm (see slide 2 for details).
The entire event lasts 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Leacock said a solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking light from the sun.
The sun will be in the southeastern sky when the eclipse begins and will move south during the event.
HR Macmillan Space Center will host a donation-based viewing event and will provide solar eclipse glasses. If the weather is good, the viewing will be held outdoors. If the weather is not cooperative, the event will be live-streamed in the auditorium.
Do binoculars or telescopes protect your eyes from damage?
Sky observers should not look directly at the sun without proper eye protection, Leacock said, as serious injuries can occur instantly.
“Special viewing glasses are required to observe the event directly. Otherwise, indirect methods such as a pinhole projector must be used.”
NASA recommends “using camera lenses, binoculars, or telescopes without lenses.” Special purpose solar filter Secure it to the front of the optic to view events.
Regular glasses or sunglasses cannot protect your eyes from sunburn. Use solar viewing glasses (eclipse glasses) or a safe hand-held solar viewing device. NASA says:safe solar viewer Since it is thousands of times darker, the following conditions must be followed: ISO 12312-2 International standard. “
Before using special eclipse glasses or handheld viewers, inspect them for tears, scratches, or damage. If it is damaged, throw it away. Please supervise children using them to view the solar eclipse.
What if I live in Metro Vancouver and want to see a total solar eclipse?
NASA has a map showing the areas where the eclipse will completely block the sun. Anyone living in prime locations from Texas to Maine has a chance to see a total solar eclipse, weather permitting (see slide 3).
The space agency notes that locations closer to the center of the path will last longer than locations closer to the outer edges of the path. The total solar eclipse will also be visible in parts of Mexico and northeastern Canada.
Locals planning a trip to see this rare phenomenon should make sure they are in a prime location on the eclipse’s path. Locals can enjoy cheap flights from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to New York, Montreal, and Texas, but you’ll need to book soon.
Total solar eclipses occur once every one, two, or three years in remote locations such as the South Pacific or Antarctica. The next total solar eclipse will grace the northern edges of Greenland, Iceland, and Spain in 2026.
Totality will not occur again in North America until 2033, with the only low wave occurring in Alaska. It then continues until 2044, when the total amount is limited to western Canada, Montana, and North Dakota.
A coast-to-coast solar eclipse in the United States won’t occur until 2045. The eclipse will extend from Northern California to Cape Canaveral, Florida.
With files from Associated Press
