When is the next solar eclipse in North America?

By Vivian El-Salawy on August 21, 2017

Did you miss the solar eclipse on August 21st, 2017? Maybe you had trouble finding the appropriate glasses, or had a work obligation of some kind and didn’t get to experience it.

No worries, the next total eclipse for North America is said to occur on April 8th, 2024. Fred Espenak, a retired emeritus American astrophysicist, has contributed the most to the current eclipse predications that we know of.

When was the last solar eclipse in the continental U.S.?

Image via ABC News

According to Astronomy.com, the last solar eclipse was in February 26th, 1979. This was the last time that North America experienced a total eclipse, however it was minimally experienced, as it was only clipped to five, northwestern states.

Is the eclipse being dangerous to your eyesight a myth?

Image via USA Today

No, it isn’t. There are many warnings all over the internet regarding being careful with the solar eclipse in how you choose to look at it. The appropriate glasses need to be worn in order to observe the eclipse. When a solar eclipse occurs, the earth, moon, and sun are in line with one another. Many believe that since the moon is covering the sun and that since it is dark as a result, that it is safe to look at the eclipse. While there is no visible light, the ultraviolet rays from the sun wrap around the moon and still make contact with your eyes. So essentially, staring at the eclipse for fifteen seconds would be equivalent to staring at the sun for fifteen seconds, except that you won’t notice the damage initially because you are not experiencing the visual sunlight. It is the same idea as getting a sunburnt – you do not notice it right away, but it is something that bites you afterwards.

Where is the next solar eclipse said to occur?

Image via The End-Time Pilgrim

According to CNN, the next total eclipse will be traveling a different path from the one in August of 2017. It will instead be most visible in Mexico, the central US and east Canada. It will also be visible in other areas of North and Central America, however not as fully as in the areas mentioned above.

For how long will this next eclipse in 2024 peak?

The eclipse that occurred in August of 2017 peaked for approximately two and a half minutes, however CNN states that the eclipse in 2024 should peak for approximately four and a half minutes. So, if you missed the eclipse today – you can make up for your loss by almost double the time in just a few years.

Whether you are a true science geek who has been waiting on this for years, a photographer who has been looking for a unique shot such as this one, or just your everyday person who wants to see something cool and share it with your friends on Facebook – there is something truly unique about everybody taking a few seconds out of their day to share one experience together, no matter who they are, where they are from, or what they are doing in that moment.

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