On April 8, the moon blocked the sun, and the absence of sunlight cast darkness on the world, imitating the night sky for a few minutes in the middle of the day. This phenomenon is known as a solar eclipse when a new moon passes between the sun and Earth.
This year’s eclipse stayed on a path that started in Texas at 1:32 pm local time and worked its way up to Maine at 3:32 pm. The duration of the eclipse lasted an average of around two hours. The partial eclipse began around 2:09 p.m., with it ending at 4:35 p.m.
In Scotch Plains-Fanwood, community members experienced a partial eclipse with the maximum coverage for the area at 3:24 pm with 90.1 percent coverage. The weather for the day was originally sunny but quickly turned cloudy.
The last total solar eclipse occurred in 2017, and the next one isn’t expected for over two decades, estimated to occur in 2044.
It is important to note that viewing the eclipse with bare eyes is unsafe due to the retina’s focus on the intense sun rays. Therefore, proper protection must be used to see the event. There are special sunglasses that block out the light and allow the observer to witness the moon cross over the sun. These glasses can be easily purchased online.
“I was looking forward to the eclipse because it is one of those strange science phenomena that only happens every so often, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” sophomore Sama Alauddin said. Many other students were excited to see this event, especially since nothing like it will happen for a long time.
