On Monday, Aug. 21, people throughout North America — and in some parts of South America, Africa and Europe — will have a chance to observe a celestial phenomenon that's fascinated humans for thousands of years. A total solar eclipse, in which the moon moves between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow across our planet and briefly blocking out the sun's light.
From most parts of North America, observers will be able to glimpse a partial eclipse, where the moon only covers a part of the sun. But along the path of totality — a band 70 miles (113 kilometers) wide that will move across the U.S. — people will be able to witness a total solar eclipse, in which the sun is completely blocked out by the moon for approximately two minutes.
Advertisement
The earliest documentation of a total solar eclipse dates back to March 4, 1223 B.C.E. The last total solar eclipse to cast a shadow across the continental United States happened in 1979, though partial eclipses have happened since then. And it's been 99 years since a total solar eclipse traversed the entire width of the continental United States, making this a particularly momentous event for U.S. residents. The United States will next see total solar eclipses in 2024, 2045 and 2052, but none that crosses the entire country like this year's.
Advertisement