Parts of Illinois will be treated to their second total solar eclipse in seven years in early April, with the rare astronomical phenomenon occurring across a large swath of the United States.
The eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, with parts of southern Illinois and central Indiana included in the area of totality. According to NASA scientists, a total solar eclipse occurs when the new moon crosses the path of the sun in the sky, partially blocking then almost completely the view of the sun.
The April 8 total eclipse will be visible for more than 120 miles of Illinois, but if you want to see the spectacle, you’ll probably have to drive for at least a few hours.
In Carbondale, the largest Illinois city included in the route, totality will begin around 1:59 p.m.
Meanwhile, astronomers will be able to observe the eclipse without any assistance, with dark skies and the famous flaming “crown” at the edges of the moon.
This period will only last a few minutes. Totality is expected to end around 2:03 p.m. as the eclipse follows a diagonal line over Fairfeld and exits at Mount Carmel, according to state officials.
If you’re in the Chicago area and can’t see the eclipse in its entirety, there is a glimmer of hope. The partial eclipse will be visible for a little while longer.
The partial eclipse will actually begin around 12:51 p.m. and last until 3:22 p.m., giving people about 150 minutes of viewing time.
For areas outside the path of totality, it will not be safe to view the eclipse without glasses or other tools.
Illinois is no stranger to eclipses. In fact, the southern part of the state has been nicknamed “America’s Eclipse Crossroads,” according to the Illinois Department of National Resources.
While solar eclipses typically only occur twice in a person’s lifetime, parts of the state, including Carbondale, have experienced one in the past decade.
The Carbondale area was also included in the path of totality for this eclipse, which occurred in 2017. Although it may seem short, totality of this year’s eclipse will last approximately 4 minutes and 9 seconds.
That’s actually double the duration of the 2017 eclipse. Totality lasted 2 minutes and 42 seconds in the Carbondale area that year, and believe it or not, it was the longest period of totality in the United States.
But that won’t be the case this year.
Totality will be longest in an area near Torreón, Mexico – at 4 minutes and 28 seconds. This time around, it will be easier for more people to see the eclipse in its entirety, according to NASA.
Its path will pass through more cities and densely populated areas than the 2017 eclipse.
If there is a way to see the eclipse in its entirety, you might want to find a way to make it work. The next eclipse after April won’t happen for a long time – 20 years. This total eclipse will take place on August 23, 2044.
NBC Chicago
