Total Solar Eclipse: All you want to know about the rare celestial event of April 8

Total Solar Eclipse: The Total Solar Eclipse is on April 8. It is the first Solar Eclipse of 2024. Here's all you need to know about the rare celestial event.

Total Solar Eclipse 2024: The first Solar Eclipse of 2024 is right around the corner. The rare celestial event falls on April 8, Monday, and will be a Total Solar Eclipse. Though it will not be visible in India, the Total Solar Eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Weather permitting, the first location in continental North America that will experience Totality is Mexico's Pacific coast at around 11:07 am PDT (11:37 pm IST). Find out more about this rare celestial event on April 8 inside.

Total Solar Eclipse 2024: All you need to know about the Eclipse on April 8

What is Total Solar Eclipse?

A Solar Eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the face of the Sun, either partially or completely. Meanwhile, a Total Solar Eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth and completely blocks the face of the Sun. It is visible to the people located in the centre of the Moon's shadow when it hits Earth.

What happens during a Total Solar Eclipse?

The sky darkens as if it is dawn or dusk during a Total Solar Eclipse. Meanwhile, people in the path of Totality get to witness the Sun's corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun.

Where can you watch the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8?

According to NASA, the Total Solar Eclipse will be visible in Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The Eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. The Eclipse will exit continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 pm NDT (1:16 am IST the next day).

However, if you are not in the path of the Eclipse, you can watch the rare celestial event of April 8 online. NASA will stream the Total Solar Eclipse online and on NASA+, air on NASA TV, and the agency's website starting at 1 pm EDT (10:30  pm IST). You can also watch it on the YouTube channel of Space.com, VideoFromSpace. The livestream coverage begins at 1 pm EDT.

How to watch a Total Solar Eclipse?

It is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Direct radiation from the Sun can damage the retina. You should also avoid a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter to view the Eclipse. Only a pair of Eclipse glasses, or eyeglasses with solar filters are compatible for viewing an Eclipse safely. Additionally, the glasses should have the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 code on the inside.

Except for the fleeting moments of Totality during a Total Solar Eclipse, observers should always use eclipse glasses or an alternative safe solar viewing method to view the Sun.