Where will there be total darkness? What you should know about the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8

North American skies will darken again in the middle of the day. He eclipse Monday’s full sunshine will begin along the Mexican Pacific coast and pass through Texas and 14 other U.S. states, before completing its landfall above Canada.

It will be almost twice as long and will have a much wider audience than the total solar eclipse that passed through here. U.S from coast to coast in 2017.

LOOK: 6 scientific investigations that will be carried out during the eclipse and which ones you can take part in

The Moon will cover the Sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, a spectacle that usually takes place in remote corners of the planet, but this time it will pass through large cities like Mazatlán, Mexico, Dallas, Indianapolis and Cleveland. About 44 million people live along the path of the total eclipse, and another 200 million in an adjacent 320-kilometer (200-mile) wide band, ensuring it will be the continent’s most-viewed eclipse in history.

Virtually everyone on the continent will be able to see a partial eclipse. It can also be viewed online. NASA will offer broadcast schedules from several cities located along the route. The Associated Press will provide live coverage of the accompanying festivities.

And don’t forget your special glasses so you can view the eclipse safely.

Of course, everything will depend on the weather. The National Weather Service will provide daily updates on cloud cover forecasts along the route.

Here’s what you need to know about Monday’s celestial spectacle:

What is a total solar eclipse?

The Moon will line up perfectly between the Earth and the Sun at noon, blocking sunlight. The total eclipse will last longer than usual because our natural satellite will be just 360,000 kilometers (223,000 miles) from Earth, one of the closest approaches between the two this year. The closer the Moon is to our planet, the larger it appears in the sky from our perspective, resulting in an especially long and intense period of darkness. The total eclipse will have its longest duration when it passes over Mexico: 4 minutes and 28 seconds. Elsewhere along the way, like in Syracuse, New York, the total eclipse will last just 1 1/2 minutes.

The route of the total solar eclipse. (AFP).

What is the path of the eclipse?

The Moon’s shadow will draw a diagonal line from southwest to northeast across North America, briefly plunging communities along its path into darkness. The total eclipse will enter the continent through Mazatlán, Mexico, and exit through Newfoundland, Canada. Along that path, 15 U.S. states from Texas to Maine will experience a total eclipse, including parts of Tennessee and Michigan. The cities of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Carbondale, Illinois, will have the opportunity to see an eclipse for the second time, as they were also in a prime position to enjoy the 2017 eclipse.

A comet during the eclipse?

With a little luck, a comet and four planets will be visible during the total eclipse. Jupiter will be to the left of the Sun and Venus to the right. Saturn and Mars will be to the right of Venus, but fainter. The other three planets in the solar system will be nearby, but will be practically impossible to see with the naked eye. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is passing in front of Earth, as it does every 71 years. Barely visible, it will be located close to Jupiter during the eclipse. But it will take a sudden explosion of dust and gas to see the so-called demon comet without a telescope, according to Anita Cochran of the University of Texas at Austin. But don’t waste time looking. “There is so much to see and so little time,” he noted in an email.

What was the last total solar eclipse in the United States?

The United States has not seen a total solar eclipse since August 21, 2017, although a “ring of fire” eclipse passed over part of the country last October. The Moon was too far away at that time to completely block the Sun, allowing a bright ring to be seen around our satellite. The spectacular “ring of fire” stretched from Oregon to Texas and crossed Central America and Colombia, before exiting through Brazil. The city of Kerrville, Texas, a short distance west of San Antonio, is again in the eclipse’s path and anticipates the arrival of large numbers of spectators.

When is the next one?

After Monday, the next total solar eclipse will only occur in 2026. But it will occur in the north of the planet, being visible in Greenland, Iceland and Spain. The next one, in 2027, will pass through Spain and North Africa, lasting an incredible 6 and a half minutes. Americans will have to wait until 2033 for another total solar eclipse, but it will be limited to Alaska. By 2044, western Canada, Montana and North Dakota will have a prime view. And in 2045, the United States will again experience a total solar eclipse that will be visible from coast to coast

Source: Elcomercio