By Cristina Damato
On April 8th, a solar eclipse will sweep through the continental United States. Solar eclipses occur when the moon and sun are aligned such that the face of the moon completely covers the sun. According to former NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, as reported by ABC News, “Daylight suddenly changes from bright sunlight to a very eerie twilight in a matter of seconds.”
The last eclipse visible from the United States occurred in 2017, but the next won’t occur until 2044, where it will only appear in Montana and North Dakota. However, for several reasons, this year’s eclipse will be even more impressive than 2017. For one, the sun’s magnetic field flips every 11 years, causing alternating cycles of increasing and decreasing solar activity. During the 2017 eclipse, the sun was nearing solar minimum, so there was not much solar activity. This year, the Sun will be at or near solar maximum, meaning many more streamers will be seen coming off the edge of the moon’s shadow. According to NASA, viewers may even be lucky enough to see a coronal mass ejection, or a “large eruption of solar material.”
This eclipse will be seen by millions. Thirty-one million six hundred thousand people live in the path of totality, and another four million are expected to travel. The path of totality is 60% wider, stretching from Mexico to Maine, and the eclipse will last for 60% longer than in 2017. In addition, totality is expected to last much longer this time around, maxing out at four minutes and 28 seconds. Several small counties have even declared a state of emergency due to the sheer number of tourists expected to flock to the area.
From White Plains, viewers will be able to see about 91.7% totality. It is important to wear eclipse glasses at all times while watching, as staring directly into the sun could burn your eyes. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, will not suffice. (At White Plains High School, safety instructions and special viewing glasses will be distributed to the students during period nine.) Espenak emphasized how this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, stating how viewers will be “telling their grandchildren about the total eclipse they saw in April of 2024.”