About the Eclipse and Eye Protection

The Great North American Eclipse will start around 12:27pm EDT on April 8, 2024 and last for 2 hours. You need to be ready for this educational opportunity!

The 2024 eclipse promises to be an amazing educational opportunity. Regardless if you are in totality or not, everyone in the U.S. will be able to see some of the eclipse!

 It is on a school day (a Monday) and most schools will be in session as there is an early Easter and spring break this year.

The solar eclipse will be a significant astronomical event, particularly for North America. This eclipse will be a total solar eclipse, where the Moon completely covers the Sun, casting a shadow on Earth and turning day into night for a brief period.

The path of totality, viewers can experience the full eclipse, will stretch across North America. Starting in the Pacific Ocean, it will make landfall in Mexico, then continue northeastward across the United States and into eastern Canada. Major U.S. cities like Durango, Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Buffalo are expected to be in or near the path of totality. This means that millions of children will have the opportunity to witness this awe-inspiring event.

For those outside the path of totality, a partial solar eclipse will be visible. This is where only a portion of the Sun is obscured by the Moon. The extent of the eclipse will decrease the farther one is from the path of totality. It is still an incredible sight to behold!

Solar eclipses are not just significant for their sheer beauty and rarity but also for the scientific opportunities they present. They allow scientists to study the Sun's corona (its outermost layer) in detail, which is otherwise difficult to observe due to the brightness of the Sun.

For anyone planning to view the eclipse, safety should be a top priority. It's essential to use proper solar viewing equipment, such as eclipse glasses or solar viewers, to protect the eyes from the Sun's harmful rays.

The solar eclipse of April 2024 promises to be a memorable event for North America, offering both a celestial spectacle and a chance for scientific exploration. Always remember to view it safely and cherish the experience.