Partial Solar Eclipse Will Be Visible in Southeast Nebraska

While Nebraska is not in the path of the total solar eclipse that will be visible on Monday, April 8, 2024, residents of the Cornhusker State will still be able to see a partial eclipse, depending on the cooperation of the weather.What is a Solar Eclipse?A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People viewing the eclipse from locations where the Moon’s shadow completely covers the Sun, known as the path of totality, will experience a total solar eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the Sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun.The last time a full solar eclipse was visible from the continental United States was on August 21, 2017. On that occasion, Fairbury was in the path of totality. Before that, the last time a total eclipse could be seen from the United States was on February 26, 1979.Watchers do not need to be within the path of totality to see the eclipse. According to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), 99 percent of people who reside in the United States will be able to see the partial or total eclipse from where they live. Every contiguous U.S. state, plus parts of Alaska and Hawaii, will experience at least a partial solar eclipse.How Long Will the Eclipse Last?The upcoming totality will last longer than it did in 2017. Seven years ago, the longest period of totality was experienced near Carbondale, Illinois, at two minutes, 42 seconds.For the upcoming eclipse, totality will last up to four minutes, 28 seconds, in an area about 25 minutes northwest of Torreón, Mexico. As the eclipse enters Texas, totality will last about four minutes, 26 seconds at the center of the eclipse's path. Durations longer than four minutes stretch as far north as Economy, Indiana. Even as the eclipse exits the U.S. and enters Canada, the eclipse will last up to three minutes, 21 seconds.During any total solar eclipse, totality lasts the longest near the center of the path, width-wise, and decreases toward the edge.The longest historical total eclipse lasted 7 minutes 27.54 seconds on June 15, 743 BC.Is an Eclipse Dangerous?Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. Eclipse glasses are not regular sunglasses. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun.When is the Next Eclipse?The next solar eclipse visible from the continental United State will be in 2044.

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