Monday’s solar eclipse will be totally awesome
Here's what you need to know about the last total eclipse of the sun in the United States for 20 years
Curious Nature
People are watching a solar eclipse in the sky with stars.
Did you enjoy the annular eclipse that passed through Colorado last October? If so, you are in luck, because another eclipse is passing through North America on Monday, April 8. The main difference is that this will be a total solar eclipse, which means that if you are in the path of totality, for a few brief minutes you will be able to take off the eclipse glasses and experience darkness during the daytime.
Unfortunately, unless you plan on leaving Colorado, you will not be in the path of totality. You will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse with about 60-65% of the sun being blocked out here in the Eagle River Valley. The partial eclipse will last approximately two hours and 25 minutes, beginning around 11:30 a.m. and ending slightly before 2 pm, with the maximum eclipse coverage occurring at 12:40 p.m.
How do we know when exactly the eclipse will happen? Astronomers in China began predicting eclipse timing as early as the fourth century B.C. In some ancient cultures, solar eclipses were seen as bad or supernatural phenomena. Now thanks to our understanding of the science between the orbits of the sun, moon, and Earth we can predict eclipses with high accuracy hundreds of years into the future.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, which obscures the sun for someone on Earth. Because the moon’s orbit is tilted at about 5 degrees to Earth’s orbit, its shadow usually misses Earth during its new moon phase. What makes a total solar eclipse special is that the moon completely blocks out the sun and all direct sunlight, bringing a dawn or dusk-like darkness to the daytime. This totality only occurs along a narrow path, with a partial solar eclipse visible over the surrounding areas.
All 48 contiguous states will experience at least a partial solar eclipse on Monday. But what makes this one special is, according to NASA, an estimated 31.6 million people live in a community within the path of totality. This is compared to the 6.6 million estimated to be in the 2023 annular eclipse path and 12 million in the 2017 total eclipse path. This is also the only total solar eclipse’s path happening in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. in the 21st century.
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Eclipses are rare phenomena that remind us how special and magical our existence on Earth can be. So if you are staying here in the valley or traveling somewhere closer to totality, take some time on Monday to appreciate the eclipse and how special the sun, moon and Earth are. Your next chance to experience something like this won’t be for another 20 years.
Also, a safety disclaimer: Looking directly at the sun can lead to serious eye damage. To view the eclipse safely, you must wear eclipse glasses or use a pinhole projector. Viewing the sun through binoculars, a telescope, or camera lens without a solar filter attached can seriously injure your eyes.
Reese Farrow is the lead naturalist at Walking Mountains and will be fortunate enough to travel in the path of totality.
