A total solar eclipse is the rarest and most spectacular of all astronomical events. On Monday, April 8th, our region will experience one—the last chance we’ll get until 2079!

While any eclipse is worth stepping out to see, it’s the total eclipse that is the most unique spectacle. This is a special situation during which the moon is close enough to the earth and lined up in a way that totally blocks out the sun, submerging viewers in darkness and revealing the sun’s corona, a part of its atmosphere usually not visible to the human eye because of the sun’s brightness. 

In the United States, the April 8th path begins in Texas and travels through major cities like Dallas, Indianapolis, and Cleveland. Here’s where you can best see the eclipse in Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine: 

Be sure to wear safety glasses if you are interested in watching the total eclipse.

There are four types of eclipses: