Solar Eclipses are once again coming to Northeast Ohio, and this one is staying for a while. The upcoming solar eclipse, on April 8th, will end up being a total eclipse – the first since 1806. This is a monumental moment that may never happen once in a generation, which truly adds to the experience. But what is a total eclipse? A total eclipse is an eclipse that completely blocks the face of the sun. This is rare as the moon is relatively small to the Earth and thereby can only illuminate a total eclipse to a small region. NASA, a US government agency related to science and technology, provides an interesting look into the extent of the solar eclipse as well as safety and interactives with it.
This photo depicts the path of the total solar eclipse and you can see that the red line passes straight through Cleveland. This is what makes it so special for Ohioans. It has been stated that the eclipse will last for at most 5 minutes, which is longer than most total solar eclipses.
Over Cleveland, at around 1:59 pm, the partial eclipse begins, but at 3:13 pm, the total eclipse begins. This total eclipse will last until 3:17 pm and partial will end at 4:29 pm. A glimpse within this window will help you capture one of the most fascinating phenomena in science. An event will also accommodate this experience at the Science Center, where they will be holding a Total Eclipse Fest 2024 from April 6th-8th.
For me, the solar eclipse that I remember was in 2017. Being just a 5th grader at Emerson Elementary School, I witnessed a solar eclipse during the school day. Although, this wasn’t a total eclipse since Ohio wasn’t in the path – different from the one we will experience –, seeing the light go out and crickets starting to chirp thinking it was nighttime, is something I will ever forget. On that day, we were given solar eclipse sunglasses that would allow us to see the sun and see the moon go across – similar to ones that many will wear in the upcoming solar eclipse.
There have been rumors that school might be canceled for this once-in-a-generation opportunity (Lakewood City Schools seem to have already canceled classes on that day) as a solar eclipse poses a risk of sudden darkness. When it does come, be on the lookout for this total eclipse because it may never happen again.
