Today, April 8, a total solar eclipse will trace a path through North America from the west coast of Mexico to the east coast of Canada. Will you be watching?
Even if you’re not within the path of totality, if you live in North America, you might be lucky enough to witness the moon obscure some of the sun (as long as it’s not too cloudy). Here’s the eclipse’s path (which you can see in further detail in these maps):
In “A Total Solar Eclipse Is Coming. Here’s What You Need to Know,” Katrina Miller describes what to expect:
On April 8, North America will experience its second total solar eclipse in seven years. The moon will glide over the surface of our sun, casting a shadow over a swath of Earth below. Along this path, the world will turn dark as night.
Skywatchers in Mexico will be the first to see the eclipse on the mainland. From there, the show will slide north, entering the United States through Texas, then proceeding northeast before concluding for most people off the coast of Canada.
Why eclipses happen is simple: the moon comes between us and the sun. But they are also complicated. So if you’ve forgotten all of your eclipse facts, tips and how-to’s since 2017, we’re here to explain it for you.
But before we dive in, there is one thing to know that is more important than anything else: It is never safe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse (except for the few moments when the moon has fully obscured its surface). At all other times, watch the event through protective eye equipment.
She explains further in this short video:
Students, explore one or more of the above resources and then tell us:
If you’re planning to watch the eclipse — whether in person or from afar — what are you most excited about? What do you hope to experience? What do you wonder about?
If you have already watched, what did you think? Did anything about the event thrill, move or surprise you? What questions do you have about what you witnessed?
A related article quotes Jay M. Pasachoff, a longtime astronomy professor at Williams College who saw his first eclipse at 16 years old, and who had seen a total of 75 eclipses by the time he died in 2022. He inspired generations of students to become astronomers by dragging them to the ends of the Earth to witness these events:
“We are umbraphiles,” Dr. Pasachoff wrote in The New York Times in 2010. “Having once stood in the umbra, the Moon’s shadow, during a solar eclipse, we are driven to do so again and again, whenever the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun.”
Why do you think eclipses fascinate us so much? If you were lucky enough to be able to stand in the moon’s shadow today, did it make you want to do so “again and again,” as it did for Dr. Pasachoff? Why or why not?
Do you see more skygazing in your future, either as a hobby or in a career as an astronomer? If so, what do you find so interesting about the cosmos? What other cosmic events would you like to see in your lifetime? (Here are some more space happenings to look forward to this year.)
What is your most memorable moment of looking up at the sky? Maybe it was a night of stargazing with your family or a day spent cloud watching with your friends. Perhaps you witnessed a phenomenon like an eclipse, a meteor shower or the northern lights. Whatever the memory, tell us about it and what it means to you.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
