The solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that can be observed with the naked eye. They occur when our natural satellite, the Moon, blocks the Sun, creating nighttime in the middle of the day. For a few minutes, the shadows of objects disappear, and the stars shine brightly.
On April 8, 2024, the next total solar eclipse will occur in the northern part of the American continent, visible across all three North American countries: Mexico, the United States of America, and Canada. However, Mexico is expected to have the best weather conditions for observation and the longest duration of the total eclipse phase. Hence, the scientific community has dubbed this event the Great Mexican Eclipse.
Based on information provided by the Space Sciences department of the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the narrowness of the umbra is precisely the reason why total solar eclipses are so rare compared to partial ones. Total solar eclipses occur only once every 375 years, while partial eclipses happen every 2.5 years.
The Great Mexican Eclipse in Mazatlan, Sinaloa
According to astronomical estimates, the Mexican port of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, and its surroundings will be the ideal locations to observe the 2024 event. The phenomenon will begin at 12:07:24 and end at 12:11:43, just when the Sun will be at its zenith, meaning at the highest point in the sky.
After the total phase, the Sun will be partially covered again, which will end at 13:32:07. In Mazatlan, the total eclipse will last for 4 minutes and 25 seconds, while in the village of Pitarrilla, located 30 kilometers from Mazatlan, the duration of the total eclipse phase will be 4 minutes and 28 seconds. This duration is the longest across the entire continent.
Similarly, it was announced that the total duration of the eclipse, including both partial and total phases, will be 2 hours and 41 minutes. Additionally, the weather in Mazatlan is ideal for observing astronomical phenomena. On average, there is only one rainy day during this month, with an average precipitation of 5.2 millimeters. This means that during these dates, the fraction of the sky covered by clouds is 25% for Mazatlan. Therefore, northern Mexico will be the best place in the world to observe the eclipse.
What is a solar eclipse?
The solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that can be observed with the naked eye. They occur when our natural satellite, the Moon, blocks the Sun, creating nighttime in the middle of the day. For a few minutes, the shadows of objects disappear, and the stars shine brightly.
However, the show is made by the Sun, as the solar disk is covered and the Moon appears in its place as a black, round shadow, with only the most outer layer of its atmosphere, called the “corona,” visible around the Moon as a white glow.
These phenomena caused distress and fear among people in ancient times, whereas nowadays people travel thousands of kilometers to be able to contemplate them.
Solar eclipses occur when, from Earth’s perspective, the Moon obscures the Sun. For this to happen, the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth must align, meaning they must be positioned along a straight line.
For the Great Mexican Solar Eclipse, the Institute of Geophysics planned various outreach events to promote awareness of one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena. Throughout the year, in this and other spaces of the institute, conferences, contests, interviews, and video capsules, among other activities, will be presented.
Sources; Ciencias Espaciales UNAM, Exploratium, Eclipse 2024
