Tonight, the first solar eclipse of the year will take place in North America. No matter, it will be possible to watch it live on YouTube from home. Indeed, NASA will of course cover the event via a livestream. We summarize for you what awaits us.
A solar eclipse is always an event not to be missed. The spectacle is always impressive, but is even more so when it is a total eclipse, since it is all the more rare. If you didn’t know what to do with your evening, we have found for you: this evening will take place the first solar eclipse of 2024. You guessed it, it will be a total eclipse.
There is, however, a small catch: this will only be visible from North America. As we do not necessarily advise you to take a plane ticket to New York urgently, we rather suggest that you follow the event live from the comfort of your sofa. Indeed, NASA will cover the eclipse during a livestream, broadcast on YouTube.
On the same subject —ESA unveils Proba-3: a space odyssey to recreate and probe the mysteries of the solar eclipse
WHEN AND HOW TO FOLLOW THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF APRIL 8, 2024?
- When does the first solar eclipse of 2024 take place? : Monday April 8, 2024, from 5:42 p.m.
- What time will the live start : 7 p.m. (French time)
- How to follow SpaceX live : here on the site using the YouTube video just above
- How long will the live last? : many hours
Interestingly, the eclipse will begin before NASA’s live broadcast. Don’t panic, however, we are talking about a relatively long astronomical phenomenon, which will take several hours to complete. So you won’t miss the moment when the Moon completely covers the Sun. Find the hour-by-hour progress of this evening’s eclipse below.
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT FROM THIS SOLAR ECLIPSE?
As mentioned above, this evening’s solar eclipse will therefore begin at 5:42 p.m. (French time). Will you be at work? No problem, things will get really interesting a few hours later. Here is the progress of tonight’s eclipse:
- 5:42 p.m.: the general eclipse begins
- 6:18 p.m.: the total eclipse begins
- 8:17 p.m.: the Moon completely covers the Sun
- 9:55 p.m.: the total eclipse ends
- 10:52 p.m.: the general eclipse ends
It is therefore at 8:17 p.m. that the image that everyone will remember will unfold. At this time, the Moon will be perfectly aligned between the Earth and the Sun, thus covering the latter. For a few minutes, North America will be plunged into darkness without it being night. The phenomenon is incredibly rare. As an indication, the next eclipse of this type is planned for… 2044.
We therefore advise you not to miss it, even if you probably won’t be able to see it with your own eyes. We can also argue that you will gain in both comfort and safety. Indeed, remember that it is imperative to protect your eyes with special glasses when observing an eclipse outdoors, otherwise you risk causing irreversible damage to your eyesight. Unless, of course, you’re viewing the whole thing from a screen.
The last solar eclipse visible from France took place on October 14, 2023, but it was a partial eclipse — that is, the Sun was not completely hidden by the Moon. The last total eclipse took place on December 4, 2021, but again, it is impossible to see it from France. Only the few inhabitants of Antarctica were able to enjoy it in person. Finally, the next eclipse, partial again, will take place on October 2, 2024. Good news: this time, you will be able to see it in person.