Image of the eclipse with moon in front of sun

During the eclipse, the moon will block the sun from our view.

Michael Allen Siebold/Getty Images

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The Day the Sun Disappears

Millions of Americans will soon have the chance to watch the sun vanish in the middle of the day.

April 1, 2024
By Jasmine Ting

On April 8, people across America will have their eyes on the sky. They’ll be watching an event called a total solar eclipse. This happens when the moon moves between Earth and the sun. The moon blocks nearly all the sun’s light, and day will seem like night.

What Is Happening? 

Total solar eclipses happen on Earth about once every 18 months. But they don’t always occur where people can see them. It’s been seven years since the last total eclipse could be seen over much of the U.S.

Some people will be in total darkness for about four minutes. These people are in what’s called the path of totality. In the U.S., the total eclipse will begin at around 1:30 p.m. local time near Eagle Pass, Texas. Over the next hour, the giant shadow will move northeast. It will pass through 14 other states. 

Jim McMahon/Mapman® 

What Will You See? 

About 32 million Americans live in the path of totality. About 4 million more people are expected to travel to the area. All will be hoping to view total darkness during the daytime.

But even people who aren’t in the path of totality will get a treat. Many will be able to see a partial eclipse. This is when some or most of the sun’s light is blocked. The partial eclipse will be visible in all 48 contiguous U.S. states. 

In New York City, for example, about 90 percent of the sun will be blocked. On the other side of the country, about 34 percent of the sun will be covered in San Francisco, California.

So don’t forget to grab a pair of special eclipse glasses to watch this rare event. Otherwise you’ll have to wait two decades. The next total solar eclipse in the contiguous U.S. won’t take place until 2044.  

How to Watch Safely

Michael Allen Siebold/Getty Images (eclipse); Carrie Yuan Images/Offset (child)

Always remember to protect your eyes! You should never look directly at the sun, even during an eclipse. Rays from the sun can permanently damage your eyes. 

Here are a few other tips: 

  • Never view the sun through a regular camera, binoculars, or a telescope without a special filter. That will cause instant eye injury. 
  • Don’t use regular sunglasses to watch an eclipse. They are not safe for looking at the sun.
  • To safely watch an eclipse, you’ll need special viewing glasses, called eclipse glasses. They stop the sun’s harmful rays from reaching your eyes. You can also check with a parent about making a special viewing device at home.
  1. According to the article, what causes a total solar eclipse?
  2. How is experiencing a total solar eclipse different from experiencing a partial solar eclipse, based on the article?
  3. According to the sidebar, “How to Watch Safely,” how can you safely view a solar eclipse?
Illustration of a kids room with lots of toys
iStockPhoto/Getty Images
partial

adjective

incomplete

 

I did a partial cleanup of my room, but there are still toys everywhere.
Image of the eclipse with moon in front of sun
iStockPhoto/Getty Images
totality

noun

the phase of an eclipse during which it is total

 

During a solar eclipse, areas in the path of totality are completely dark for a few minutes.
Map of America
iStockPhoto/Getty Images
contiguous

adjective

connected or touching. Alaska and Hawaii are not part of the contiguous United States.

 

The contiguous United States are sometimes called the lower 48 states.

 
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