Prepare Your Community for the Eclipse

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing through towns and cities in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. In the U.S., more than 30 million people from parts of Texas to Maine reside in the path of totality and will experience the dark sky associated with the total eclipse. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon completely blocks the face of the Sun, by passing between the Sun and Earth. The next total eclipse visible in the contiguous United States will be 20 years later, in 2044. Outside of the path of totality, others will experience a partial eclipse.

Explore this page to find information and resources on eclipses, including classroom activities, and how to view one safely. Determine whether your city will be in the path of totality, and if so, how to get involved in eclipse citizen science projects.

This time-lapse photo shows the stages of a November 2012 solar eclipse in the South Pacific.
This time-lapse photo shows the stages of a November 2012 solar eclipse in the South Pacific. RICK FIENBERG/TRAVELQUEST INTERNATIONAL/WILDERNESS TRAVEL (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Your Guide to the Solar Eclipse

The March issue of Science News Explores contains a special听 section devoted to the upcoming eclipse that is available online to everyone to download.

Science News Explores - Special Edition - Eclipse 2024

Classroom Activity

This activity will help students learn more about eclipses and how to communicate scientific information through the creation of a video about the upcoming total eclipse on April 8, 2024. Students will practice summarizing information from a variety of Science News Media Group articlesand will use their writing skills to create an informative script for their video. For those in the solar eclipse鈥檚 path, the video will also discuss where to watch the eclipse and how to get involved in community education projects.

Science News Learning Lesson Plan: Preparing Your Community for the Eclipse on April 8, 2024. Shows map of the United States with path of totality, and previews of two articles about total eclipses from Science News Media Group.

from Science News Media Group

Get Involved and Learn Eclipse Science