Solar eclipse 2024: A traveller’s guide to the best places to be when the light goes out
On 8 April 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America, providing an astronomical experience in many alluring locations.
Only a tiny proportion of humanity has ever witnessed a total eclipse – but tens of millions of people will be able to experience one as the “path of totality” sweeps from the Pacific to the Atlantic during the course of that magical Monday.
Here’s what you need to know about why you should see it and where to be.
What happens during a total solar eclipse?
The greatest show on earth comes courtesy of the lifeless moon. Normally the orbiting lunar lump merely provides earth with tides, moonlight and somewhere to aim space rockets. But roughly once a year the natural satellite aligns with the sun and, thanks to a geometric miracle, blots out the hub of the solar system to create a total eclipse.
“Even though the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, it’s
