Millions in North America witness the rare phenomenon of total solar eclipse
By Antynet Ford
On Monday, April 8, 2024, millions of people gathered along the shoreline to witness the universe unwinding the total solar eclipse.
People in the Eagle Pass area of Texas were the first to view the unusual phenomena when the Moon cast its shadow.
The total solar eclipse that swept across Mexico, the United States, and Canada has completed its path across continental North America.
A total solar eclipse was visible throughout the United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, where an estimated 32 million people reside.
A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, completely covering our view of the Sun and throwing a shadow on it.
There are three types of solar eclipses: partial, annular, and complete.
Whether or not you observe the three types of solar eclipses depends on how much the Sun covers the moon. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks some of the sun’s light; a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon aligns with the sun and blocks all of its brightness.
Several conditions contribute to the enjoyment of a total solar eclipse, including clear skies to ensure that the phenomenon is not obscured by clouds and only those within the path of totality will witness the entire effect of the sun being blacked out.
Those beyond the path of totality can still see a partial eclipse, in which the moon covers some but not all of the sun.