It’s fair to say there’s been quite a lot of excitement ahead of tonight’s (April 8) solar eclipse, which will see the sun pretty much totally blocked out across parts of Mexico, the US and Canadaand partially blocked out in the UK.The effect in the UK is gonna be much less dramatic than in North America, but those in the path of totality are set to witness the full-on ‘halo effect’, where the moon perfectly aligns between the Earth and the sun.
So, what’s the deal with this celestial spectacle? Here’s some info about how and why eclipses take place, when we last witnessed a full solar eclipse in the UK, and why they’re so special
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The last full or ‘total’ solar eclipse that was witnessed in the UK was way back on August 11, 1999, but it was technically only Devon and Cornwallthat were in the path of totality. The eclipse was also visible across Europe and Asia.
The UK experiences between two and five solar eclipses of various totalities each year. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the next major ones are April 8 (that’s tonight), March 29, 2025 and August 12, 2026.
While total solar eclipses technically aren’t that rare (as they occur roughly every 18 months somewhere on the planet) catching one in the same place only happens approximately every 400 years. However, Carbondale in Illinois is about to witness its second total solar eclipse in just seven years.
We can’t lie, it’s gonna be a while. The next total solar eclipse won’t be taking place until September 23, 2090, 91 years after the previous one. You can read more about that here.
You can have a look at all the info on the path and peak times for the partial eclipse in the UK here, and it’s predicted that Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester will have the best view. However, you can also check out our guide on the best way to watch the proper thing online – such as on NASA’s live stream – right here.
While all of North America and Central America will experience at least a partialsolar eclipse, those within a path with a width of approximately 115 miles (185 kilometers) passing over 15 U.S. States. Mexico, and Canada will also witness a totality as the moon entirely covers the disk of the sun.
Finally, a partial solar eclipse is an event that happens when the Earth, moon, and sun are not perfectly aligned, resulting in the lunar disk only covering part of our star, making the sun appear as if a bite has been taken out of it. Partial eclipses also happen at the beginning and ending stages of total and annular eclipses.
On April 8, 2024, the moon will be in its new moon phase, and it will look relatively large, meaning it is capable of covering 100% of the sun''s disk as viewed from the narrow path of totality. The fraction of the diameter of the sun covered by the moon is known as the magnitude of a solar eclipse. On April 8, 2024, this value will be 1.0566,according to EclipseWise , slightly more than total coverage.
NASA has released an interactive map of the total eclipse, which space enthusiasts can use to track the totality as it drifts across the globe. However, location won''t be the only factor affecting the appearance of the total solar eclipse on Monday. The eclipse will pass through 5 distinct stages, with each of these phases occurring at different times across different locations.
In the initial stage of the eclipse, the moon will begin to pass in front of the sun, kick-starting a partial solar eclipse. During this phase, the darkened lunar disk of the moon will make the sun appear as if a bite has been taken out of its illuminated face. This "bite" will get bigger and bigger as the totality approaches.
During the first stage of the total solar eclipse, some onlookers will be able to see rapidly moving, long, dark bands called "shadow bands" on the sides of buildings or the ground. Bailey''s beads, caused by light streaming through the valleys on the horizon of the moon, may also be visible at the moon''s edges during this initial stage. These phenomena repeat during the second partial eclipse that occurs after totality.
First contact will last for between 70 and 80 minutes, and its conclusion will be marked by a single bright spot, or "diamond ring," appearing at the edge of the moon. This marks the second contact stage and heralds the oncoming totality.
Stage 3 and the mid-point of the total solar eclipse is the totality. At this point, the moon completely covers the solar disk. During the totality of the outer atmosphere of the sun, the corona may become visible as white streamers at the edge of the moon. This region is usually washed out by bright light from the solar surface, the photosphere. The inner atmosphere of the sun, the chromosphere, may be visible as a wispy aura around the edge of the moon.
On April 8, the first location to experience totality will be Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico at11:07 a.m. local time(2:07 p.m. EDT, 1807 GMT). The first location to experience totality in the U.S. will be Near Florentino Ramos Colonia, Texas, at 1:27 p.m. local time (2:27 p.m. EDT, 1827 GMT).
The duration of the totality depends on the path from which the eclipse is viewed. In Mexico, totality will last for 40 minutes and 43 seconds. Skywatchers in the U.S. will collectively experience totality for 67 minutes and 58 seconds. Onlookers in Canada will experience the totality of the solar eclipse for 34 minutes and 4 seconds.
The fourth stage of the total solar eclipse, third contact, will see the moon start to move away from the disk of the sun, thus ending the totality and starting the second partial eclipse period. Brightening appears on the opposite side of the moon as it did during the second contact period.At this time, skywatchers will get another chance to spot Baily''s Beads along the edge of the moon and shadow bands on the buildings and ground around them, with this stage mirroring the second contact stage.
If you intend to view any of these stages, the most important thing to consider is how to safely view it. Looking at the sun without adequate protection at any time is harmful to the eyes, so eclipse watchers should take precautions on Monday.
Sunglasses, regardless of how dark they are, can''t protect the eyes from the effect of the sun, so specialized eclipse glasses made from safe solar filter materials will be needed. If skywatchers intend to watch the event with a telescope, special filters will be needed to make this a safe viewing experience.
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