Last week, many of us in the United States had the amazing opportunity to witness one of the most amazing natural phenomena: a solar eclipse! This amazing event is possible because of the relative sizes of the moon and the sun and their respective distances from the earth. When the moon is at just the right angle and it is the new moon, it can pass right in front of the sun and block it completely because although the moon is much smaller, it is also much closer. We call it a solar eclipse because the sun is eclipsed, or obscured, by the moon. When we look at a solar eclipse (in pictures or through special glasses), we see the black silhouette of the Moon in front of the bright sun. For a few minutes of totality, all light from the sun is blocked, making daytime look like nighttime. As soon as these three bodies no longer make the perfect line, the solar eclipse ends and the moon unblocks the sun. If you are reading this and not remembering this being your experience, you were probably in the path of the partial eclipse, which means from your position the earth, moon, and sun were not in the perfect straight line. You probably saw the moon cover part of the sun, maybe the bottom or the top, and you probably noticed the sky get a little darker, but unfortunately, you never got to experience the eclipse in totality.
If you got to see the full eclipse and want an encore of the experience or if you did not get to witness totality but want to, never fear! There will be future solar eclipses during which you will get a chance to see this amazing wonder either again or for the first time. In fact, the next solar eclipse is in 2019! Unfortunately, the path of totality will mainly be over the Pacific Ocean. Even though some parts of South America will also experience it, it is unlikely to get as much publicity since it covers a smaller area on land than this previous one. In December of 2019, however, there will be another solar eclipse in another part of the world. This one will be visible in parts of Saudi Arabia, India, and various Pacific islands. Next, there will be an eclipse in 2020 that will cover parts of Africa and Asia, including a large stretch of China. The 2023 eclipse is the next one that will be visible from America. People in the western and southern United States will get to see this eclipse, along with people in parts of Central and South America. The 2024 eclipse is another important one for America. Its path of totality begins in the southern United States and will travel northeast. Unlike the most recent eclipse, many northeastern cities will be able to witness totality in the 2024 eclipse, so it is definitely something to look out for in seven years!
The bottom line is that even if you missed this one, there will be other opportunities to witness a solar eclipse. For something that seems so improbable, it actually happens relatively often! Just remember to wear your eclipse glasses and be outside during totality! It only lasts for a few minutes, so you have to be careful not to miss it. Eclipses are one of the few things that seem to captivate everyone, from scientists to non-scientists. Find out when your city will fall in the path of totality, and save the date!
