There is too much to see and too little time.
El lunes, la luna se interpondrá entre la Tierra y el sol, borrando la luz del día durante varios minutos a lo largo de una franja diagonal de América del Norte, desde las costas del Pacífico mexicano hasta Terranova. Con casi 250 millones de personas en posición de presenciar el fenómeno, este eclipse no es solo un evento astronómico, sino un recordatorio de que el cosmos, de vez en cuando, detiene el ritmo cotidiano de la civilización. La próxima oportunidad comparable no llegará hasta 2045, lo que convierte este momento en uno de esos umbrales raros que separan generaciones.
- La luna estará excepcionalmente cerca de la Tierra —a solo 360,000 kilómetros— lo que prolongará la oscuridad total hasta cuatro minutos y veintiocho segundos en México, casi el doble que en 2017.
- Ciudades densamente pobladas como Dallas, Indianápolis y Cleveland quedarán en penumbra total al mediodía, algo inusual para un eclipse que normalmente cruza regiones remotas.
- El clima se perfila como el mayor obstáculo: el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional emitirá pronósticos diarios de nubosidad, y millones de personas ajustarán sus planes según las condiciones del cielo.
- Junto al sol eclipsado podrían verse Júpiter, Venus, Saturno y Marte, e incluso el cometa 12P/Pons-Brooks, que solo visita las cercanías de la Tierra cada 71 años, aunque su visibilidad es incierta.
- Quienes no tengan cielo despejado podrán seguir la transmisión en vivo de la NASA y de medios internacionales, garantizando que casi ningún observador quede sin acceso al fenómeno.
- El siguiente eclipse total visible desde América del Norte no ocurrirá hasta 2033, y solo en Alaska; el próximo evento de costa a costa no llegará sino hasta 2045.
El lunes, la luna se deslizará entre la Tierra y el sol, apagando la luz del día durante varios minutos a lo largo de una franja diagonal de América del Norte. La sombra tocará tierra primero cerca de Mazatlán, en la costa del Pacífico mexicano, recorrerá quince estados estadounidenses desde Texas hasta Maine, y abandonará el continente sobre Terranova, en Canadá.
La duración máxima de la totalidad —cuatro minutos y veintiocho segundos— se registrará en México, casi el doble de lo que duró el eclipse de 2017. Esa extensión se explica porque la luna estará inusualmente cerca de la Tierra, a solo 360,000 kilómetros, lo que la hace aparecer más grande en el cielo y prolonga el tiempo que su sombra permanece sobre la superficie. En otros puntos del trayecto, como Syracuse, Nueva York, la totalidad durará apenas noventa segundos.
Unos 44 millones de personas viven directamente en el camino del eclipse, y otros 200 millones se encuentran en una franja lateral donde el fenómeno será parcial pero igualmente impresionante. En total, cerca de 250 millones de norteamericanos tendrán algún tipo de vista. Lo que hace singular a este eclipse es que su trayectoria atraviesa algunas de las mayores ciudades del continente —Dallas, Indianápolis, Cleveland—, algo poco habitual en un fenómeno que suele cruzar regiones despobladas.
Si el cielo lo permite, los observadores podrán ver mucho más que el sol eclipsado: Júpiter a su izquierda, Venus a su derecha, y más lejos Saturno y Marte. El cometa 12P/Pons-Brooks, que pasa cerca de la Tierra solo una vez cada 71 años, estará en las proximidades de Júpiter, aunque su visibilidad a simple vista es incierta.
El clima será el factor determinante. La NASA transmitirá en vivo desde múltiples ciudades del trayecto, y quienes no tengan cielo despejado podrán seguir el evento en línea. El próximo eclipse total visible desde América del Norte no llegará hasta 2033, y estará confinado a Alaska. Habrá que esperar hasta 2045 para que uno cruce de costa a costa el territorio continental de Estados Unidos.
On Monday, the moon will slide directly between the Earth and the sun, and for a few minutes, daylight will vanish across a swath of North America. The shadow will arrive first along Mexico's Pacific coast near Mazatlán, sweep diagonally northeast across fifteen American states from Texas to Maine, and exit the continent over Newfoundland in Canada. It will be nearly twice as long and reach far more people than the eclipse that crossed the country in 2017.
For up to four minutes and twenty-eight seconds—the longest duration will occur in Mexico—the moon will completely block the sun's light. This extended darkness happens because the moon will be unusually close to Earth during this eclipse, only 360,000 kilometers away, one of its nearest approaches of the year. The closer the moon sits to us, the larger it appears in our sky, and the longer the shadow lingers. In other parts of the path, like Syracuse, New York, totality will last just ninety seconds.
About 44 million people live directly in the eclipse's path, where they will see total darkness at midday. Another 200 million live within a 320-kilometer-wide band on either side, where the eclipse will be partial but still dramatic. Taken together, nearly a quarter of a billion North Americans will have a view of some kind. Major cities sit squarely in the trajectory—Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland—which is unusual. Most total solar eclipses pass over remote corners of the world. This one will darken some of the continent's largest population centers, making it the most-watched eclipse in North American history.
The path traces a diagonal line from southwest to northeast. Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Carbondale, Illinois, will experience totality for the second time in seven years, having also been in the path during 2017. Kerrville, Texas, west of San Antonio, sits in the shadow again and is already bracing for crowds of visitors.
If the sky cooperates, observers will see more than just the eclipsed sun. Jupiter will hang to the left of the sun, Venus to the right. Saturn and Mars will appear farther right, though dimmer. The comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which passes near Earth only once every seventy-one years, will be somewhere near Jupiter during the eclipse. It is barely visible to the naked eye, and would need a sudden burst of dust and gas to be seen without a telescope. As one astronomer put it, there is too much to see and too little time to search for a comet that might not show itself.
Weather will be the deciding factor. The National Weather Service will issue daily cloud forecasts along the eclipse route in the days before Monday. NASA will stream hours of coverage from multiple cities along the path. The Associated Press will broadcast live from the celebrations that will unfold. And anyone without a clear sky can watch online.
The last total solar eclipse visible from the United States occurred on August 21, 2017. An annular eclipse—where the moon is too far away to completely cover the sun, leaving a bright ring visible—crossed parts of the country last October, but it was not the same phenomenon. North America will not see another total solar eclipse until 2033, and that one will be confined to Alaska. In 2044, western Canada, Montana, and North Dakota will have their turn. Not until 2045 will a total solar eclipse again cross the continental United States from coast to coast.
Notable Quotes
There is too much to see and too little time to search for a comet that might not show itself.— Astronomer Anita Cochran, University of Texas at Austin
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does this eclipse matter more than the one in 2017?
It's twice as long, and it passes over major cities instead of remote areas. Forty-four million people live directly in the path. In 2017, the eclipse was dramatic, but it was also somewhat isolated. This one will darken Dallas and Cleveland at midday.
What makes it last longer?
The moon will be unusually close to Earth—only 360,000 kilometers away. The closer the moon is, the larger it appears in our sky, and the longer it blocks the sun. In Mexico, totality will stretch to four minutes and twenty-eight seconds. In Syracuse, it's barely ninety seconds.
So weather is the wild card.
Completely. The National Weather Service will be issuing forecasts right up until Monday. If clouds roll in, you see nothing. If the sky is clear, you see something most people will never see again in their lifetime.
What else will be visible besides the eclipse itself?
Jupiter and Venus will be visible near the sun. Saturn and Mars too, though fainter. There's a comet, 12P/Pons-Brooks, that passes by Earth only every seventy-one years. It might be visible during totality if it brightens suddenly, but an astronomer I read said not to waste time looking for it. There's too much else to see.
When's the next one?
Not until 2033, and that's only in Alaska. If you want to see a total eclipse cross the continental United States again, you have to wait until 2045. For most people watching Monday, this is the eclipse of their lifetime.