Free Astronomy Magazine May-June 2024

MAY-JUNE 2024 One observer’s perspective on the total solar eclipse by Damian G. Allis A long, thin slice of the United States and portions of Mex- ico and Canada were treated this past April 8th to a total solar eclipse, the second U.S. solar eclipse since August 21st of 2017 and the last total solar eclipse for the continental U.S. until August 23rd of 2044. An estimated 32 million peo- ple were already living directly under the path of totality of the April 8th solar eclipse, with estimates by some tourism organizations of 5-to-10 mil- lion more people making their pil- grimages to be along that path. An anecdotal factoid from the Washing- ton Post summarizes that “the eclipse crosses the homes of more people in Texas alone than the 2017 eclipse crossed nationally.” Based on the length and direction of the path over North America, it is arguable that this was one of the most, if not the most, well-attended solar eclipses in history. T he total solar eclipse, during to- tality, under cloudy skies at Niag- ara Falls, New York. [Carlos Osorio/ The Globe and Mail]