Total Solar Eclipse Creates Nationwide Excitement

The next solar eclipse will take place on August 12th, 2026, and it will be visible from Iceland, Greenland, Spain, and the Atlantic Ocean, and 2044 is when the next U.S. solar eclipse will take place (David Georgiyev/Unsplash).

The total solar eclipse - a rare, astronomical event - brought the nation together on Monday, April 8th, for a surreal experience.

Article by Isabel Cantor, Associate Medical Reporter

WASHINGTON - On Monday, April 8th, the entire country came together in awe for the total solar eclipse. A rare event that occurs very infrequently, especially in North America, this type of eclipse is caused by the perfect alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth.

To get the best view of this natural wonder, some people flocked to cities located in the path of totality, which consists of locations where the moon perfectly blocked out the sun, leaving just a thin ring of light from the sun hiding behind. San Antonio, Texas, Little Rock, Arkansas, Indianapolis, Indiana, Cleveland, Ohio, Buffalo, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, are just some of the places that were ideal positions to view the

eclipse.

However, areas that were not situated in the path of totality still experienced this incredible phenomenon. For example, Long Island, New York, experienced the moon covering 90% of the sun at the peak of the eclipse, and New Orleans, Louisiana saw about 85%. Even Hawaii residents were able to catch a glimpse of the eclipse, despite the distance from the rest of the U.S.

Viewing a solar eclipse with no protection can be extremely harmful, as it could cause permanent eye damage. “Even a few seconds of viewing the sun during an eclipse can temporarily or permanently burn the macula,” a part of the retina, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and permanent central vision loss could result from retinal damage.

This did not hold Americans back from experiencing this extremely uncommon event. Special glasses that are approved by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) are safe to wear in order to view an eclipse. A common misconception is that wearing sunglasses is sufficient eye protection while catching a glimpse of the eclipse, but this is also very dangerous, as they are not nearly as dark enough as the glasses approved by the ISO. However, if you can’t get your hands on the glasses, you could make your own viewing device from a cereal box, aluminum foil, and some other materials.

Many people attended watch parties, joining others as they watched the eclipse. The Edge, a touristy observation deck in Manhattan, was a popular spot to get unobstructed views of both the eclipse, and the New York City skyline. In addition, hundreds of couples took advantage of this event, getting married during the eclipse, and handing out special glasses to their guests.

While the total solar eclipse was seen by many people across the country, there are some people that missed out on the unique experience. However, the next solar eclipse will take place on August 12th, 2026, and it will be visible from Iceland, Greenland, Spain, and the Atlantic Ocean, and 2044 is when the next U.S. solar eclipse will take place.