Last week's Totality Tuesday discussed the path of the 2024 total solar eclipse. This week, we will discuss what to expect during the eclipse on April 8. Many people talk about seeing an eclipse, but it's really more a matter of experiencing an eclipse.
The entire eclipse occurs over about two and a half hours, and the exact timing depends on your location and when the Moon's shadow starts passing over you. For Buffalo, the eclipse starts around 2:05 p.m. as the Moon starts to pass in front of the Sun. This is called first contact, and as you watch through eclipse glasses or other proper eye protection, you will see more and more of the Sun covered. This first partial phase of the eclipse (where only part of the Sun is covered) will last for about an hour and 13 minutes. During most of this time, you won't notice anything changing except your view of the Sun through eclipse glasses. Because the Sun is so bright, even just a small percentage of it showing will still give a bright sky.
During the last 10-15 minutes of this first partial phase, you will start to experience some other changes. The sky will still be bright, but the color will start to change slightly. Animals will start to behave as if evening is approaching. You might also notice the temperature starting to drop as more and more of the Sun is blocked. In the last moments before totality, you might witness shadow bands. These alternating bands of shadow and light are caused by light from the thin sliver of unblocked Sun getting distorted by Earth's atmosphere.
As the very last of the Sun's light passes through valleys along the edge of the Moon's disk, you might observe Baily's beads a short-lived phenomenon where the light passing through those valleys appears as a string of beads. These beads will disappear until a single bright spot is briefly visible. This is called the diamond ring effect.
As the Moon fully covers the Sun, the last bit of the Sun's brightness disappears. This is called second contact, and totality has now begun. For us, this will occur at 3:18 p.m. and will last about three minutes and 45 seconds. During totality, it is safe to look at the Sun without eclipse glasses. You will be able to see the corona, the Sun's silky, wispy outer atmosphere, which is usually not visible. As you look around, you will see the horizon looking like a 360-degree sunset. You will be able to see some of the bright stars as well as the bright planets Venus and Jupiter. Because the Sun is fully blocked, the temperature will drop 10 degrees Fahrenheit or more, and this change in temperature could cause winds to pick up. Totality is an almost indescribable experience, and you will want to absorb as much as you can with your senses. Often there is the sound of shouting and applause as people are overcome with the spectacle, but then that settles into a quiet as people take in what they are experiencing.
Totality will go by quickly, and at about 3:22 p.m., it will end with third contact. As the Sun begins to peek from behind the Moon, you might observe another diamond ring effect, followed by Baily's beads, shadow bands, and then the sky quickly brightening as more of the Sun is visible. The temperature will increase back to its pre-totality level. After totality, we will be in another partial phase of the eclipse as the Moon continues to move across the disk of the Sun, and with eclipse glasses or other proper protection, we can watch the Sun return to its full shape over an hour and 10 minutes. At 4:32 p.m., the last part of the Moon blocks the Sun fourth contact and then the eclipse is done.
It is difficult to put the full experience into a few paragraphs, but as we are now less than 50 days from April 8, it's time to think about where you will be to experience the total solar eclipse!
Next week's topic will be about eclipse glasses, proper eye safety, and ways to safely view the eclipse.
Question of the Week: How dark will it get during totality?
Answer: It will not get as dark as nighttime. The sky will look like sunset around the horizon and will transition to blues and shades of indigo as you approach the direction of the Sun's corona. This will still be dark enough to see bright stars and planets.
For information about Buffalo State's eclipse events, visit the Buffalo State Eclipse website. Questions? Email eclipse@buffalostate.edu.
