When the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun, a total solar eclipse occurs. Only few locations on earth witnesses a Total Solar Eclipse at the same time, making it often a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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A Total Solar Eclipse will woo skygazers on April 8 and the once-in-a-lifetime celestial phenomenon will be visible to those living in the United States, Canada and Mexico. A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and blocks the Sun’s light either entirely or partially. As the name indicates, a total solar eclipse blocks the sun’s light entirely and there’s complete darkness in the middle of the day. However, only a few places on the earth witness it, hence for any person living in a particular location, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event.
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What Is A Total Solar Eclipse
According to the NASA website, “A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the centre of the Moon’s shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun.”
April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse: Time And Other Details
While several people living in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be able to witness the Total Solar Eclipse, those who live in Colombia, Spain, Venezuela, Ireland, Portal, Iceland, the United Kingdom and some Caribbean countries can witness a partial eclipse. In India, the solar eclipse won’t be visible. So those who are keen to watch the eclipse can do so by livestreaming it online. As per Indian Standard Time, the eclipse will take place between 9:13 pm on April 8 and 2:22 am on April 9.
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How To Watch April 8 Solar Eclipse Online
People can tune in to NASA’s live stream using the link below
There is also the live stream hosted by the McDonald Observatory in Texas:
Why Are Solar Eclipses Rare
Solar eclipses happen only at the new moon phase when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun. However, even though new moons are regular, there isn’t a solar eclipse on every new moon. The moon’s orbit, slightly tilted with respect to the sun-earth line, is what determines the eclipse occurrence. At most times, the moon’s shadow is too high or too low above the earth, and thereby no eclipse occurs then.
