- by Adminneigh
Solar Eclipse 2024
The celestial spectacle of the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024 captivated young and old throughout the United States! In our nursery we experienced this astronomical event with amazement and excitement, watching the Moon pass in front of the Sun, creating an impressive spectacle in the sky.
But why does a solar eclipse occur? The answer lies in the perfect alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun. During a solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, completely or partially blocking sunlight. This phenomenon occurs only at the precise moment when the Moon’s orbit crosses the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
The April 8, 2024, solar eclipse was especially exciting because it was visible across much of the United States, from the West Coast to the East Coast.
Total eclipse passes through the United States After leaving its shadow in Torreón, Monclova or Durango, the phenomenon has begun to move towards the United States, reaching Texas, Arkansas, Indiana and New York. In the latter, the expectation has been so great that, with just a few minutes left before the Moon covers the star, the free glasses distributed by the city’s libraries have sold out. Since early in the morning, long lines have formed to get them, so signs have been hung on the doors of most New York libraries that say: “We no longer have glasses to see the eclipse.” The city has had various spaces to enjoy the partial event, such as the Rockefeller skyscraper or the Greenwood Park cemetery, in Brooklyn, with the Manhattan skyline on the horizon.
– It was an annular eclipse, that is, the lunar disk failed to completely cover the Sun, revealing a ring of fire around the Moon. This was because the Moon was at its apogee, the furthest point from Earth.
– Its maximum duration was almost 4 minutes in a narrow strip that crossed northern Chile and Argentina. However, we were able to partially appreciate it from much of South America.
– Solar eclipses are more common than you think, but they occur in different places on Earth. The last annular eclipse visible from Argentina occurred more than 20 years ago.
– Despite being an astronomical event, it is extremely important to take precautions to observe it safely. You should never look directly at the Sun without protecting your eyes.
I hope that these data help to capture in an attractive way the beauty and importance of this celestial phenomenon that we were able to witness. We are waiting for the next eclipse to light up our skies.
