WASHINGTON – People across North America will be treated to the view of a lifetime this Monday when a total solar eclipse is set to span across the continent, from Mexico to the very eastern tip of Canada.
Hundreds of events are already being planned for eclipse watchers to step outside, look into the sky and catch this rare, astronomical phenomenon.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth or the Sun, blocking some or all of the Sun’s rays from reaching the Earth.
The phenomenon is a cosmic event, requiring the Sun, the Moon and the Earth to be in just the right alignment for the Moon to cast a shadow on our planet.
When this happens, the Moon casts two types of shadows. One results in a partial solar eclipse, which covers only part of the Sun.
The other – and arguably the most spectacular – is called a total solar eclipse where the Sun is entirely covered by the Moon, save for a visible ring of light in the sky.
How rare is a total solar eclipse?
Solar eclipses themselves are not that rare – in fact, there are about two to four that occur per year.
But the likelihood of seeing a total solar eclipse is much rarer. The Earth is quite big, and most of it is covered by oceans. More often than not, humans don’t get to see it in person.
In fact, this is the first solar eclipse this century to be visible in all three North American countries – the US, Canada and Mexico. (BBC)
