Experience the 2024 Solar Eclipse In Indiana

The last total solar eclipse in the United States was on August 21, 2017. It was visible from Oregon to South Carolina. Outside of the USA, the last total solar eclipse was on December 14, 2020. It was visible in parts of South America and the South Pacific Ocean.

Yes, you can marvel at a solar eclipse – but be sure to take the necessary safety measures needed to safeguard your eyes. Looking directly at the sun during an eclipse can cause serious damage to your eyes and even blind you! It is recommended that you wear special-purpose solar filters or use indirect viewing techniques when looking at a solar eclipse.

Solar filters are designed to reduce the amount of sunlight and make it safe for direct viewing. Some examples of these filters include eclipse glasses, handheld solar viewers, and special-purpose binoculars and telescopes.

It's a common question, and the answer lies in the fact that the Moon's orbit around Earth is slightly tilted compared to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means that most of the time when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, it doesn't completely block out our view of the Sun.

A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth is directly between the Sun and Moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the Moon. Similarly, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun. Both of these events are rare because they require perfect alignment of all three celestial bodies.

The tilt of our orbits also affects how often we experience eclipses. Since both eclipses occur during a full moon, they can only happen once every 29 days when there is a full moon. However, since Earth's orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees relative to that of the Moon, these eclipses don't always occur at exactly the same time each month.

In addition to this orbital tilt, there are other factors that affect how often we experience lunar or solar eclipses. For example, if an eclipse happens near one of its nodes (the points where its orbit crosses Earth’s orbital plane), then it will be more likely to be visible from certain parts of Earth than others. This means that some areas may experience more frequent eclipses than others due to their location on our planet!

So while it may seem like lunar and solar eclipses should happen every month, in reality, they are quite rare due to several factors including orbital tilt and location on our planet.

Total solar eclipses are a rare phenomenon, occurring on average once every 18 months. The last total solar eclipse visible in the United States was in 2017 and the next one will be in 2024. After that, it won't be until 2044 that another total solar eclipse will be visible from north America!

Yes and no – a solar eclipse can happen at night, but half of the planet is always in darkness, so when a solar eclipse occurs, it will be visible to those in daylight. So it’s happening but those on the “night-side” can’t see it.

A rare phenomenon known as a "midnight" partial solar eclipse has been observed in Norway and Russia. During this type of eclipse, the moon passes between Earth and the Sun, obscuring the sunlight for a few minutes and turning day into night.