Eclipse Science Along the Path of Totality

In general, scientists don’t put much credence in cosmic coincidences.

But a total solar eclipse—a phenomenon made possible by the remarkable similarity between the apparent sizes of the Sun and the Moon—is likely to awe even the most data-driven researcher. And on 8 April 2024, millions of people across the United States will be treated to such a spectacle as the Moon’s umbral shadow arcs from Texas to Maine.

Researchers and educators are gearing up for the event with a plethora of scientific investigations, many of which welcome the participation of amateur scientists.

Other solar eclipses have been visible from the United States in the recent past. On 14 October 2023, sky watchers in parts of Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas were treated to an annular solar eclipse; viewers in the rest of the contiguous United States saw a partial solar eclipse.

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