2024-04-10 09:07:32
A rare total solar eclipse began its passage this Monday on the west coast of Mexico, triggering a celestial event awaited by millions of people, whose path is expected to cross the United States and end in Canada.
Eclipse fever reached Mexico, the United States and Canada, with the Moon passing in front of the Sun, blocking daylight.
The Sun is about 400 times larger than the Moon, but it is also 400 times further away, and both therefore appear to be of similar size.
Almost everyone in North America is guaranteed at least a partial eclipse, weather conditions permitting viewing.
In the United States alone, more than 30 million people live in the area where the total eclipse will be visible, lasting a maximum of a few minutes, according to the North American space agency (NASA).
The event represents an economic opportunity for many regions that receive an influx of tourists, but also for scientists who study the Sun.
NASA has been broadcasting a live video with images from the telescope and comments from experts.
The main North American news channels, such as CNN or Fox News, also broadcast special programming.
Dallas, Indianapolis and Cleveland are in the path of the total eclipse, with hotels in these regions having been full for months.
A race to see the eclipse and special safety measures
Schools had to close for the occasion and even collective weddings were planned for this event.
Among the emblematic places where the eclipse will be visible are Niagara Falls, where the spectacle promises to be grand. On the Canadian side, the region even declared a “state of emergency” to better deal with the flow of visitors.
The eclipse will also be admired from the air: some airlines have planned flights for the moment of darkness, and tickets have sold out.
NASA planned to launch three small sounding rockets before, during and shortly after the eclipse from Virginia in the eastern United States. The objective is to measure the changes caused by darkness in the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere.
The solar corona, the outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, becomes particularly visible during an eclipse. It will be watched carefully, as this is where solar flares occur. Earth’s star is currently near its peak activity (unlike in 2017).
The eclipse can also cause unusual behavior in animals, which are sensitive to changes in light and temperature.
The next total eclipse visible in the United States (excluding Alaska) will occur in 2044. Before that, a total eclipse will occur in Spain in 2026.
2024-04-10 09:07:32