Total solar eclipse visible over Mexico, the USA and Canada
Published: Monday, Apr 8th 2024, 05:31
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Millions of people in Mexico, the USA and Canada will be able to see a "cosmic masterpiece" on Monday: a total solar eclipse. Parties are planned, hotels are fully booked and many children are off school.
Millions of people in Mexico, the USA and Canada can experience a total solar eclipse on Monday. Such a celestial spectacle occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, completely covering the sun. The last time a total solar eclipse was seen in Switzerland was in August 1999; the next one will take place in September 2081.
The US space agency Nasa also calls it a "cosmic masterpiece". "Solar eclipses have a very special power," said Nasa chief Bill Nelson at a press conference. "They move people and give them a deep respect for the universe."
Beginning over the Pacific Ocean, the umbra stretches across northern Mexico, crosses the USA from Texas north-east to Maine, touches south-eastern Canada and ends over the North Atlantic. The spectacle takes place mainly in the afternoon (local time). Major cities such as Dallas, Indianapolis, Buffalo and Montreal are located in the zone, which is home to more than 30 million people. The last total solar eclipse was visible from the USA in 2017, from Mexico in 1991 and from Canada in 1979. The next one - after the one on 8 April - for the USA and Canada is not scheduled until 2044, and for Mexico in 2052.
No spectacle in Europe
The astronomical spectacle cannot be observed from Europe. A partial solar eclipse can only be seen on the western edge of the continent - for example in parts of Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Great Britain as well as in Iceland.
Preparations on Earth for the spectacle in the sky have been underway for months: Parties are planned in many places to watch together, where special glasses to protect the eyes will also be distributed free of charge. Numerous schools in districts from which the total solar eclipse can be observed have announced that they will close on this day. In addition, millions of people living elsewhere have booked trips. Hotels and vacation homes in the areas with a total solar eclipse are fully booked in many places, and the authorities are warning of very high traffic volumes.
Cloudy sky
However, the weather outlook is not particularly good. The Weather Channel predicted clouds, rain and storms for many regions in the USA. In a smaller region in the north-east, there is a better chance of observing the spectacle, the weather channel reported. In order to experience the total solar eclipse in full, a clear sky with a view of the moon and sun is required, writes Nasa. However, the eerie darkness that accompanies it during the day can also be seen when the sky is cloudy.
Many scientists are also prepared. Nasa observes, records and measures the solar eclipse using aircraft and balloons, among other things.
©Keystone/SDA
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