As of: March 17, 2024, 6:21 p.m
By: Teresa Toth
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A particularly rare astronomical event will take place on April 8th: a total solar eclipse.
But where and how can the spectacle be observed?
Munich – There will be a total solar eclipse on April 8th.
The moon will move in front of the sun until its surface is no longer visible and the sky darkens.
The event can teach us a lot about our planet.
The last total solar eclipse took place in Germany in 1999.
Find out here when and where the upcoming solar eclipse can be seen and how best to observe the spectacle.
Event |
Total solar eclipse |
|---|---|
Date |
April 8, 2024 |
Location |
Mexico, United States and Canada |
Duration of blackout |
4 minutes and 28 seconds |
In three countries the sun is 100 percent obscured - so there is a total solar eclipse
As NASA reports on its website, the total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Only in these three countries will the sun be 100 percent obscured on April 8th.
43 other countries – including Greenland, Portugal and Iceland – can observe the spectacle as a partial solar eclipse.
This means that the moon does not completely cover the sun.
On April 8, the moon will pass completely between the Earth and the sun, causing a total solar eclipse.
© Leonardo Rubilar/dpa
As the portal
solar-eclipse.org
informs, onlookers in Mexico can watch the total solar eclipse on April 8th between 12:09 p.m. and 1:29 p.m. (UTC).
In the United States, curious people should look up between 1:38 p.m. and 3:27 p.m. (UTC), and in Canada between 3:17 p.m. and 5:13 p.m. (UTC).
The maximum duration of the blackout is 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
According to scientists, the Sun could be putting on a particularly funny show, looking like a “very irritable little hedgehog.”
There will be no total solar eclipse in Germany in the coming years
Germany will have to be patient until the next solar eclipse: the next one will not be visible there until March 29, 2025 - but only as a partial solar eclipse.
The next solar eclipse will follow on August 12, 2026.
Although again only partial, up to 90 percent of the sun's surface should be obscured.
Total solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse is an astronomical event and occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, completely obscuring the face of the sun.
The sky darkens as if it were dawn or dusk.
A total solar eclipse occurs every one to two years.
Source: NASA
Appropriate safety glasses are essential when observing the total solar eclipse
As exciting as this rare astronomical event is, your own safety comes first when observing a total solar eclipse.
If you plan to watch the solar eclipse, you should get the appropriate glasses in good time.
Because: “Except during the short phase (...) when the moon completely obscures the bright face of the sun, it is not safe to look directly at the sun without special eye protection,” warns NASA.
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Normal sunglasses are not suitable for this.
You need solar eclipse glasses that only let in very little light.
Some opticians offer such glasses, but they can also be purchased online.
The location from which the observation is made does not play a particularly important role.
The only important thing is that there is a clear view of the sun.
Rural areas are best suited as there are no tall buildings in the way.
And then all you have to do is hope that the sky is clear.
(tt)