Spring is here, and everyone is enjoying the nice weather and some time off from school. But make sure you take some time to get ready for one of the coolest celestial events of the decade next month. On April 8, most of the United States—and parts of Canada and Mexico—will experience the first total solar eclipse since 2017. And if you miss it, you’ll have to wait another 20 years for the next one!
A total solar eclipse is when the Sun, Moon, and Earth all line up perfectly, in that order. With the Moon positioned right in the middle, it blocks the Sun and casts a shadow on Earth. For everyone directly in the path of this shadow—called the path of totality—the day will plunge into darkness for almost 5 minutes. If you compare the upcoming eclipse with the last one, the eclipse in April will last twice as long, the sky will become darker, and the Sun itself may even put on a show. To understand how all of that might play out, we’ll have to dig into the science of it.
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First, the Moon doesn’t follow a perfectly circular orbit around Earth. It’s more of an oval shape. That means sometimes it’s farther away from Earth and other times it’s closer. When it’s closer, it appears larger in the sky. And it just so happens that the Moon will be in this close phase of its orbit during next month’s eclipse, making its shadow even wider and darker. An estimated 32 million people from northwest Mexico to southeast Canada will be in the path of totality, and hundreds of millions more—most of the U.S. population—will be able to see at least a partial eclipse.
The other thing that makes this April’s total eclipse special is the Sun’s solar cycle. The Sun is a massive ball of super-hot electrically-charged gas called plasma. The plasma is always moving, which produces a powerful magnetic field around the Sun. But about every 11 years, the Sun’s magnetic field flips, and the North and South Poles switch places! Now here’s the really cool part. When the Sun’s magnetic field flips, the Sun becomes more active and experiences more frequent and intense solar storms.
Why is all of that important? Well, because the Sun will be at its Solar Maximum next month. That means it will provide a unique opportunity for scientific studies. NASA and several other organizations have several studies planned for the eclipse, covering everything from solar activity and its effects on Earth’s magnetic field to searching for hidden asteroids around Mercury when the usual glare from the Sun is blocked.
Now that you know the science of it, mark your calendar and make sure you’re prepared! Looking directly at the Sun, even during an eclipse, can cause permanent eye damage. It’s important to always use proper solar viewing glasses. Many towns and cities plan events during eclipses and give out viewing glasses. You can also order your own viewing glasses online, just make sure they’re ISO-certified and arrive before the big day!
