Total Eclipse of New York State

On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will come to North America. This cosmic event will be visible from within a narrow route, called the path of totality, which will extend through Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, completely blocking the face of the sun. People viewing the eclipse from locations where the moon's shadow completely covers the Sun, known as the path of totality, will experience a total solar eclipse. The sky will become dark, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the sun.

Solar eclipses are fairly numerous, about two to four per year, with a total eclipse taking place about every 18 months. The last total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. occurred on Aug. 21, 2017. However, a total solar eclipse reoccurs in the same location roughly every 375 years.

After the eclipse of 2024, the next total solar eclipse will occur on Aug. 12, 2026. Totality will be visible from Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, and Spain. The next cross-country solar eclipse in North America won’t happen until 2045.

Now that the total solar eclipse is behind us you can donate your International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses to Astronomers Without Borders for future distribution.