New York [US], April 8 (ANI): The Total Solar Eclipse is set to grace selected regions of Mexico, the United States and Canada, and will offer a rare opportunity for viewers to anticipate a multitude of awe-inspiring moments as it won't appear across this part of the world again until 2046, reported by CNN.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk.
According to NASA, people can livestream the total solar eclipse of 2024 on NASA's official broadcast channel on YouTube.
The total solar eclipse of 2024 is worth taking some time to stop and witness the historic celestial event because it won't be visible across the contiguous US again until August 2044 and an annular eclipse -- which happens when the moon can't completely block the sun-- won't appear across this part of the world again until 2046.
The eclipse will first appear over the South Pacific Ocean and begin its journey across North America.
Mexico's Pacific coast is the first point of totality on the path, expected at 11:07 am local time (2:07 pm ET), and the eclipse is expected to end on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland at 5:16 pm local time (3:46 pm ET), reported CNN.
Emphasising safety while watching the total solar eclipse, NASA shared a post on X, stating, "We want you to watch the total solar #eclipse. We just don't want it to be the last thing you see."
NASA stressed that it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.
"Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun's bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing," it said.
It further stated that viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.
"When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses ("eclipse glasses") or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun," it added.
NASA emphasised that the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury, adding, "Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer."
Moreover, one of the amazing side-effects of the eclipse is its ability to change the weather -- but it has its limits, reported CNN.
Changes to temperature, wind speed and humidity occur as the moon crosses in front of the sun and casts a shadow on Earth's surface during a solar eclipse.
In the path of totality, temperatures will drop by around 10 degrees, additionally, it will also start to feel more humid and winds and cloud coverage could drop.
Scientists understand the concept of how solar material flows from the sun in a better way by observing the sun during eclipses, according to CNN.
Charged particles known as plasma create space weather that interacts with an upper layer of Earth's atmosphere, called the ionosphere.
Many low-Earth orbit satellites and radio waves operate in the ionosphere, which means dynamic space weather has an impact on GPS and long-distance radio communications.
Thus, three sounding rockets will lift off in succession from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia before, during and after the eclipse to measure how the sudden disappearance of sunlight impacts Earth's upper atmosphere, reported CNN.
Each rocket will eject four soda bottle-size scientific instruments within the path of totality to measure changes in the ionosphere's temperature, particle density, and electric and magnetic fields.
Moreover, the sounding rockets will reach a maximum altitude of 260 miles (420 kilometres) during flight.
US Vice President Kamala Harris will arrive in Philadelphia to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse, according to a White House official.
Harris will exit her plane and greet Philadelphians, including young students, at the airfield, as reported by CNN. (ANI)
