Total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024

2017 total solar eclipse, eclipse, sun, moon, skywatching, stargazing, amateur astronomy
During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely obscures the sun for parts of the Earth. Careful calculations help researchers and the public determine where to go to see the total blackout. (Image credit: Miloslav Druckmüller, Peter Aniol, Martin Dietzel, Vojtech Rusin via NASA)

On April 8, 2024, the United States will be treated to a rare celestial performance: a total solar eclipse, where sky-watchers within a path 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and 10,000 miles (16,000 km) long will witness one of the most spectacular eclipses for decades.

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Map of dozens of eclipse-related place names in North America.

These eclipse-themed places will experience totality on April 8, 2024

By Jamie Carter published

Experience the April 8 total solar eclipse from Eclipse Island, Corona, Moon Island, or one of these other eclipse-themed locations.

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Dallas, Texas, will be the biggest city in the path of totality.

Total solar eclipse April 2024: The 10 biggest cities within the path of totality

By Jamie Carter published

On April 8, 2024, more than 31 million people in North America will witness a total solar eclipse, around a third of them in just 10 cities.

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Total solar eclipse.

When is the next solar eclipse?

By Jamie Carter published

The next total solar eclipse visible from North America is coming April 8, 2024. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the next solar eclipse.

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A wall of fire rains down on to the sun's surface

A once-in-a-lifetime view of the sun's 'solar maximum' is coming April 8th

By Jamie Carter published

With the solar cycle set to peak earlier than predicted, the sun's corona should look its spectacular spiky best for April 8's total solar eclipse.

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NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare — as seen in the bright flash on the top right — on Oct. 2, 2022. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares and which is colorized in orange.

The sun may be smaller than we thought

By Stephanie Pappas published

New calculations suggest the sun is a few fractions of a percent smaller than previously estimated, and that could change how we study it.

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Upper row: Radio images of the 2023 Oct. 14 solar eclipse observed by the Long Wavelength Array at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory Bottom row: Schematic representation of what visible images of the eclipse looked like at the same time.

Space photo of the week: A radio 'ring of fire' shows a solar eclipse as never seen before

By Jamie Carter published

Radio astronomers in California imaged the sun's scorching hot corona for the first time ever during a partial solar eclipse on Oct. 14.

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Screenshot of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites GOES-East and GOES-West watched as the shadow of the moon darkened the surface of Earth.

See the entire 'ring of fire' eclipse in 4 seconds in stunning satellite videos

By Robert Lea published

The NOAA satellites GOES-East and GOES-West watched as the shadow of the moon darkened the surface of Earth on Saturday, Oct. 14.

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Photos of an annular total solar eclipse (left) and a total solar eclipse (right). Note that the annular eclipse is shown with a dark background, as it is only safe to view with protection – you can see how a small portion of the Sun is still visible as the ring around the Moon. On the right, you can see the Sun’s wispy corona, visible only during totality itself, when the Moon completely – or totally - hides the Sun from view.

NASA will fire 3 rockets directly at the solar eclipse on Saturday. Here's why.

By Brandon Specktor published

NASA researchers plan to launch three rockets carrying scientific instruments toward the moon's shadow on Oct. 14, to study changes in the atmosphere brought about by the annular solar eclipse.

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Bright red and yellow colors of the annular solar eclipse occurs on January 15, 2010 in Qingdao, Shandong Province of China.

Exactly where and when to see the 'ring of fire' solar eclipse this weekend

By Jamie Carter published

A partial solar eclipse will be visible across most of the Americas on Oct. 14, with a rare 'ring of fire' annular eclipse visible in nine states.

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Solar eclipse glasses are NOT the same as sunglasses.

Where to buy solar eclipse glasses before the Oct. 14 'ring of fire' eclipse

By Brandon Specktor published

It's not too late to buy safe, high-quality eclipse glasses before the Oct. 14 annular solar eclipse in North America. Just make sure you're buying from an approved vendor.

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