After much anticipation, spectators across North America got to witness a total solar eclipse on 8 April. With the biggest crowd ever, almost everyone in North America saw a partial eclipse, with up to four minutes of midday darkness in Texas and other spots.
While the views of the eclipse were dependent on weather, the best conditions for it were at the tail end of the eclipse. It was the most visible in Vermont and Maine, specifically New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
The rare phenomenon darkened skies all across the world this afternoon, as a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, meaning the face of the sun is completely blocked out.
A solar total eclipse is also the only type of eclipse in which people can momentarily remove their special eclipse glasses and observe the event with the naked eye.
As 2024 continues, there are more celestial events to keep an eye on, other than just the views of today’s total solar eclipse. From meteor showers to partial eclipses, here are the occasions in the sky to look out for this year.
Lyrids Meteor Shower: 14 April to 30 April
The Lyrids meteor shower – which is one of the oldest known meteor showers – peaks during late April, as noted by Nasa. Usually from 14 April to 30 April every year, these lyrids, fast and bright meteors, are best viewed during the dark hours of the day in the Northern Hemisphere.
However, Lyrids “don’t tend to leave long, glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through the Earth’s atmosphere”. But, they can “produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball”. Often, “10-20 Lyrid meteors can be seen per hour during” the peak of the meteor shower, which is on 23 April.
The meteor showers usually last until dawn each day, according to Nasa. It will also take about “30 minutes in the dark” for your eyes to “adapt” and begin to see the meteors.
Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower: 15 April to 27 May
Every year, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower takes place from mid-April to late May. According to Nasa, the meteor peaks during early May, typically on 6 May. The Eta Aquarids are fast meteors that can “leave glowing ‘trains’ (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) which last for several seconds to minutes”.
The meteors are visible in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres after midnight, with the meteors in the North Hemisphere being seen as “earthgrazers,” which are “long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon”.
Perseid meteor shower: Mid-July to late August
Every year, the Perseid meteor shower takes place around the summertime, as the 2023 event was active from 14 July to 1 September, as noted by Nasa. The meteor showers usually peak in mid-August, with Perseids – also known as meteors – often leaving “‘wakes’ of light and colour behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere”.
These meteor showers are “one of the most plentiful,” with “about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour”. The Perseids are known for having fireballs, “which are larger explosions of light and colour that can persist longer than an average meteor streak”.
While the meteor shower is best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere after midnight, it’s still possible to view these meteors before 10pm.
Partial lunar eclipse: 18 September
There will be another lunar eclipse on 18 September 2024. However, this one will be partial, meaning that there will be an “imperfect alignment of Sun, Earth, and Moon, resulting in the Moon passing through only part of Earth’s umbra”, as noted by Nasa. From there, the “shadow grows and then recedes without ever entirely covering the Moon”.
Although the partial lunar eclipse isn’t for a few months, it’s expected to be visible from different parts of America, Europe, and Africa.
Annular solar eclipse: 2 October
There will be another solar eclipse on 2 October 2024, with this eclipse type being annular. As noted by Nasa, an annular eclipse is when the “sun, moon and earth align but the Moon’s orbit places it too far away from earth to entirely block the disk of the Sun”. During the eclipse, the “sky takes on a twilight cast, but some of the Sun still shows”.
While the annular eclipse isn’t until closer to the end of the year, it’s expected to be visible in South America, with a partial eclipse also visible from Antarctica, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, and North America.
