Jeanette Brown/Alamy Stock Photo
On April 8, millions of Americans will have their eyes on the sky. They’ll watch an incredible disappearing act called a total solar eclipse. This phenomenon occurs when the moon moves between Earth and the sun, blocking nearly all the sun’s light. For a few minutes, the day will seem to turn to night.
Total solar eclipses happen on Earth about once every year and a half. But they don’t always occur where people can see them. This year’s total eclipse will be the first that will be visible in the U.S. since 2017.
People in what’s called the path of totality will see the total solar eclipse for about four minutes. In the U.S., it will first be visible at about 1:30 p.m. Central Time near Eagle Pass, Texas. Over the next hour, the giant shadow will move northeast, passing through parts of 14 other states (see map).