Mexico, the United States and Canada prepare to observe a total solar eclipse

First modification: 04/08/2024 – 16:22

4 min

Starting in Mexico, crossing the United States and ending in Canada, millions of people will witness a rare total eclipse on Monday, April 7, a celestial event that continues to inspire awe, but that also represents a scientific and economic opportunity.

In the United States, more than 30 million people live in the area where the total eclipse will be visible for a few minutes, according to NASA. “Eclipses have a special power. They touch people, who feel a kind of reverence for the beauty of our universe,” stressed the head of the US space agency, Bill Nelson.

Total eclipses occur when the Moon comes exactly between the Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking the daylight of our star. The Sun is about 400 times larger than the Moon, but it is also 400 times farther away, so the two stars appear to be similar in size.

The event should be visible first on the west coast of Mexico, starting at 18:07 GMT. The route will then cross 15 North American states – from Texas to Maine – before ending its journey in eastern Canada. Around the total eclipse band, 185 kilometers wide, residents will be able to see a partial eclipse.

US authorities have been insisting on security measures for weeks, particularly the need to wear special glasses to look at the Sun, otherwise suffering serious eye damage.

Numerous events are planned throughout the United States. NASA will broadcast three hours of live video from various locations, with telescope images and expert commentary.

Among the emblematic places where the eclipse will be visible are Niagara Falls, where the spectacle promises to be great. On the Canadian side, the region has even declared a “state of emergency” to deal with the influx of visitors.

Traffic jams are expected

The expectation surrounding the event is such that several of the main 24-hour news channels, including '', have broadcast countdowns throughout the weekend.

Many regions are expected to benefit from the influx of tourists. “We have people coming from all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. There are tourists from Holland, Finland, Germany, Israel and New Zealand,” says Jennyth Peterson, events manager in an area north of San Antonio, Texas.

In Burlington, in the US state of Vermont, for example, the population could double that day, according to local authorities.

Many hotels have been full for months, and monstrous traffic jams are expected, such as during the last total eclipse in the United States, in 2017 – when fewer cities were on the correct trajectory. For the occasion, many schools will close or allow students to leave early.

The eclipse can also be admired from the air: some airlines have scheduled flights along the route of darkness, and tickets have sold out. Astronauts on the International Space Station will also observe the phenomenon, but they will see the Moon's shadow crossing the Earth's surface.

However, the weather could dampen the party in some regions. In Texas, for example, it is expected to be cloudy.

Measurements in the ionosphere

It is also a scientific event. NASA will launch three small sounding rockets before, during and just after the eclipse, from Virginia in the eastern United States. The goal: to measure the changes caused by darkness in the upper part of the Earth's atmosphere, the ionosphere, through which many of our communication signals pass.

The solar corona, the outer layer of the Sun's atmosphere, becomes especially visible during an eclipse. This is where solar flares occur, and our star is currently near its peak activity (unlike 2017).

The eclipse can also cause unusual behavior in animals, which are sensitive to changes in light and temperature. Roosters and crickets may start crowing, and birds may land. Giraffes have even been seen galloping in the past.

The next total eclipse visible in the United States (excluding Alaska) will occur in 2044. Before that, in 2026, a total eclipse will occur in Spain.

With AFP

This article was adapted from its original in French