Find Out All You Need to Know to Witness the Event
Get ready for a solar eclipse coming soon!
Mark your calendars for April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will move through the skies over areas of Mexico, the US, and Canada. While witnessing this event in the sky promises to be an unforgettable experience, it’s important to watch the eclipse as safely as possible.
In a solar eclipse the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. This prevents the Sun’s light from reaching Earth. As the moon passes in front of the sun, the Moon’s shadow sweeps across Earth. The sky gradually grows darker. The Moon blocks the Sun for a time so that people on Earth cannot see it.
A total solar eclipse will happen on April 8. During this time, the sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. This is an exciting event to see and some schools are dismissing students early or giving them the day off from school to see the event. It is an exciting experience but viewing it safely is important.
Many locations in the viewing path of the eclipse are giving away free glasses for viewing the action.
You can learn about what will happen during the eclipse with Al Roker and Savannah Sellers from NBC News. They talk about the excitement building for the total solar eclipse and get a behind-the-scenes peek at how eclipse glasses are made.
Hear from American astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson as he explains the science behind this phenomena in the sky!
Total Eclipse: Countdown to History (youtube.com)
Why is a solar eclipse such a big deal?
A solar eclipse doesn’t happen often and the sky will look different as the magic happens. The next total solar eclipse will not be visible in the contiguous United States for over 20 years.
You can find information from The Air and Space Museum website for educational resources that teachers, parents and caregivers can use to teach children about eclipses. This includes hands-on activities, videos and materials that can be incorporated into lesson plans.
This week, the museum released an eclipse-themed episode of “STEM in 30,” its Emmy-award winning educational webcast series for students and teachers. Each episode of “STEM in 30” is accompanied by learning standards and teacher tips for bringing content into classrooms.
Take a look at information for the event from National Air and Space Museum Prepares Activities and Educational Resources for April’s Solar Eclipse.
Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the sun.
The path of totality will start in Mexico and move across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before heading out over the North Atlantic. Small portions of Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee will also experience almost the entirety of the eclipse.
You can follow the path of the eclipse according to NASA’s interactive map that traces the path of the eclipse here.
Have fun!
It was a beautiful day for a solar eclipse!
Where did you watch the exciting event in the sky yesterday? Now that the 2024 solar eclipse has ended in the United States, you might be wondering about what you can do with your eclipse glasses.
You can donate your solar eclipse glasses, recycle them, or keep them for a future eclipse. Read all about it here and continue to share your stories about what you and your friends saw during the 2024 Eclipse!
Solar eclipse glasses: you can donate or recycle them – NBC New York
