When is the next total solar eclipse in the U.S.?
11 comments Print Me Email to FriendTonight is Friday, Aug 01 2008
Our sky chart shows you how the total solar eclipse will appear this afternoon from Novosibirsk, Russia. During these amazing events – whenever the new moon swings directly in front of the sun and completely covers it – the sky turns suddenly from day into night, and stars pop into view. To see this, you must be located along today’s long yet very narrow total eclipse path that stretches all the way from northern Canada to eastern China.
More often than not, no eclipse happens at new moon, because the new moon usually sweeps to the north or to the south of the sun. Last month, in July 2008, there was no solar eclipse because the new moon passed north of the sun. The following new moon on August 30 will swing south of the sun, so once again, there will be no solar eclipse. There are several lunar and solar eclipses each year, however, and the next solar eclipse will come on January 26, 2009.
People ask when a total solar eclipse will be visible in the mainland United States. It won’t happen until August 21, 2017. The next total eclipse after that will be on April 8, 2024. Here’s a map that shows all the total solar eclipses occurring in North America from 2001-2050, thanks to the eclipse master Fred Espenak.
Swweeeeeeeeeeeet!Even though I’m only going to see the eclipse on TV.I’v never actually even saw solar elcipse before!Well, I will admit that I have on cartoons.However, I have seen at least 3 or 4 lunar eclipses in my life!But, hay I’m only 10!Ha,Ha,Ha.
Swweeeeeeeeeeeet!Even though I’m only going to see the eclipse on TV.I’v never actually even saw solar elcipse before!Well, I will admit that I have on cartoons.However, I have seen at least 3 or 4 lunar eclipses in my life!But, hay I’m only 10!Ha,Ha,Ha.
Alyssa,
Thank you for reminding me. Yes, you can watch the eclipse live at Exploratorium on August 1 from 10:30 to 11:30 Universal Time (5:30 to 6:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time).
Bruce
Will anyone in the U.S. Be able to view it?
From very far times ago, to very far times to come, there were and there will be very fortunate people to see solar eclipses. That is because the moon is getting farther and farther fron the earth at the same pace the hand nails grow. In some future times the moon will not cover the entire glove of the sun. An eclipse then will not be so beautifull. We are very lucky people.
Tonight in northern Minnesota I observed a bright object in the sky, similar in luminosity to Venus or another bright planet, traveling quickly from west to east at high altitude. It was not a plane. The emitted light was constant with not strobe affects, much like a planet reflecting the Sun. What was it?? It’s trajectory was constant, similar to a satellite but much brighter..Was it the ISS or something else??
Regards,
Eric Hansen
Eric,
I have little doubt that you were looking at the International Space Station (ISS). I did a search for St. Paul, MN, and found that the ISS made two passes last night (August 1). The first pass was from 9:55:02 to 9:59:37 p.m. During this pass, this satellite was easily brighter than the brightest stars, and almost as bright as the planet Jupiter. During the second pass, the ISS was easily visible, but nowhere as bright.
Tonight (August 2), the ISS will be making one (but a brilliant) pass through Saint Paul’s sky from 10:20:59 to 10:24:18 p.m. To find out when it will pass across your sky, click on this heavens-above web site. Click on ‘from database,’ then ‘United States,’ then manually write in the name of your town or closest town. This site will list when and if the ISS will be passing over your area for many nights to come!
Good luck!
Bruce
Call me crazy but a week or so ago (maybe a bit longer) I was on my way home from shopping in Northern Minnesota at dusk and I thought I seen the moon in the western sky this magnificent orange color. It was in the cresent shape. I was talking to my mom on my cell and told her about it. After a few minutes it disappeared. I was puzzled. Then I happened to look in the eastern sky and noticed the moon. It then occurred to me that this was in fact the sun that I had seen. Was it the earths shadow that covered part of the sun? Was this part of the eclipse seen in Canada around that time? I believe this happened on a Sunday evening in early august. Am I going crazy or did this really happen?
Sue,
Great deduction, for figuring out that the object was actually the sun! Since you live in Minnesota, we can rule out your seeing a solar eclipse. We can also rule out your seeing a solar eclipse for another reason as well – because you saw the moon and sun in different parts of the sky.
A solar eclipse can only happen when the new moon passes in front of the sun as seen from Earth. The Earth’s shadow doesn’t hit the sun during a solar eclipse, but it does cover the moon during a lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse, though, can only happen at full moon.
My guess is that a cloud or some obstruction partially blocked out your view of the setting sun.
Bruce
a total solar eclipse will happen at september 14,2099 over minneapolis and st.paul in the morning.most of minnesota will see it.EXCEPT ALL OF YOU WILL NOT SEE IT UNLESS YOU DONT DIE.
dr. cockoo,
Looks like you’re right! Here’s a map of all the total eclipses in North America from 2051-2100, courtesy of Fred Espenak’s eclipse page.
Bruce