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A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. During that period called "totality," you can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona.

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all about solar eclipses for kids - Google Search

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. During that period called "totality," you can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona.

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An eclipse happens when one object in space blocks another from view. For example, during a solar eclipse the Moon comes between Earth and the sun. The Moon blocks the sun for a time so that people on Earth cannot see it.

In ancient times solar eclipses caused great fear and wonder. People did not understand why the sky sometimes darkened in the middle of the day. Today scientists understand why eclipses happen and can...

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An eclipse happens when one object in space blocks another from view. For example, during a solar eclipse the Moon comes between Earth and the sun. The Moon blocks the sun for a time so that people on Earth cannot see it.In ancient times solar eclipses caused great fear and wonder.

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Look up in the sky: It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's the moon covering the sun.

In just a few days a total solar eclipse will arrive in North America, and people are already pretty excited. But, what's the big deal really? Don't eclipses happen all the time? Well, this one is a bit different − rare even. And it only lasts a few minutes so it's good to be prepared beforehand.

Here's an illustrated guide to help you understand what the April 8 total solar eclipse means, where it will be visible and how you can watch it safely.

What is a total solar eclipse?

Not all eclipses are the same, they can look different, depending where on Earth you are and where the moon's shadow is.
More: What time is the total solar eclipse on April 8? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide
Where can the total solar eclipse be viewed?

On April 8, NASA says, the total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing through Texas around 1:27 p.m. CDT and ending in Maine about 3:35 p.m. EDT. Anywhere along the eclipse path, the longest period of totality will be 4 minutes and 28 seconds, nearly double that of the 2017 solar eclipse.

Not everyone in the world will be able to see it, only people who happen to be in the path of the huge moon shadow.

How to safely view the solar eclipse

You can also create fun ways to view the eclipse without looking directly at the sun.

A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. During that period called "totality," you can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona. Also the darkness can confuse animals - nocturnal creatures stir, and bird and insects fall silent. The solar eclipse will be the last of its kind that will be visible for people in the U.S. until Aug. 23, 2044, according to NASA.

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Decoding the sky: A definitive solar eclipse guide for kids (adults also welcome)

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The 2024 total solar eclipse is just days away. These pictures offer an easy guide and some coloring pages for viewing and understanding the sky-gazing experience.

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Hey, who turned out the lights? Sometimes the answer is: the moon!

About every 18 months, somewhere on Earth experiences a total solar eclipse-when the moon completely blocks the sun. But for you, it's probably a special event: Total solar eclipses only occur in the same location about once every 375 years.

During a total solar eclipse, the sky appears dark, the temperature drops, and some animals even change their behavior. Perhaps thinking it's nighttime, some cows will return to their barns, crickets chirp, and nocturnal bats take flight.

But be careful: Direct light from the sun can burn the cells in your eyes, causing blindness. The sun is only completely blocked by the moon for a few moments during a total solar eclipse, so to safely experience the solar show, use special-purpose eclipse glasses or a solar viewer to block the harmful rays.

(Make your own solar viewer.)

How a total solar eclipse happens

Most days, the moon orbits around Earth but doesn't come directly in between the Earth and the sun. So it doesn't block the sun's light, which creates daytime on half of Earth. But that changes during an eclipse, when the sun, moon, and Earth line up exactly. In this position, the moon can completely block sunlight from reaching a part of Earth.

(When the moon lines up but is orbiting at its furthest point from Earth, it creates an annular solar eclipse and a ring of sun is still visible behind the moon.)

As the moon moves and the Earth spins, circular shadow about a hundred miles wide races across Earth's surface at about 1,500 miles an hour. Within the shadow, the sun is completely blocked by the moon, creating a total solar eclipse that looks like nighttime.

Just outside the shadow of the total solar eclipse, people will experience a partial solar eclipse where the sun isn't completely blocked. Here, it looks like somebody took a bite out of the sun.

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During a total solar eclipse, the moon perfectly aligns between Earth and the sun to cast a shadow over the planet.

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Every now and then, the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that, when viewed from the Earth, the Moon eclipses the Sun's light. Solar eclipses are fairly common -- the Moon will block out some portion of the Sun at least twice a year. However, a total solar eclipse happens far less frequently.