On April 8, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America. The path of totality — a 115-mile (185-kilometer) wide route where the moon will cover 100% of the sun’s disk — stretches through Mexico, 15 U.S. States and Canada.
It is shaping up to be one of the most watched total solar eclipses ever with over 31 million people living within the path of totality alone. With all the juiced-up anticipation for the celestial event, there is a huge amount of pressure to get “E-day” just right. The key to a successful viewing experience is preparedness (and a little bit of luck) as bad weather or traffic problems could put a serious dampener on your day.
On Tuesday (March 26), NASA is holding a briefing with representatives from scientific and transportation agencies to share valuable information about the upcoming eclipse. The webcast will begin at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) and you can watch it live here at Space.com courtesy of the agency or on NASA TV
I got to see a total eclipse in the Netherlands back in august of 1999. It was truly remarkable. Most people really only get to see it once or twice during their lifetime - so definitely make it a point not to miss it if you’re in a region where it’s a total eclipse.
Once you’ve actually experienced one, it’s very easy to understand why they had such a profound impact on people throughout the centuries. Eerie doesn’t quite cut it.