Astronomers and avid skygazers are unlikely to ever tire of looking up and searching for the latest dazzling cosmic display. After all, there's no shortage of meteor showers, passing comets and various types of eclipses that capture humanity's collective attention.
If looking up at the stars to catch a glimpse of a passing celestial show isn't your thing, you may be feeling overwhelmed with all the hoopla surrounding the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8.
But when astronomers implore you not to miss this one, they really *really* mean it.
You've probably heard about the 2024 eclipse, which will shroud much of the U.S. in darkness as it moves from the southwest in Mexico to the northeast in Canada. You've likely heard that this is North America's first total solar eclipse in seven years, and the last for another 20.
What you might not know, though, is why this year's eclipse is projected to be "the most accessible eclipse this nation has experienced in this generation,” at least according to Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
What Fox means is that this year's total solar eclipse is unlike any eclipse we've witnessed in our lifetime – even in 2017. And we're unlikely to witness anything like it again.
Here's what makes the 2024 eclipse different from the 2017 event.
2024 space photos:From spiral galaxies to volcanic eruptions on Jupiter moon, see these amazing space images
For millions of Americans, the news of the total solar eclipse likely brings with it memories of the last time on Aug. 21, 2017 that the moon passed between the earth and sun, completely blocking out the sunlight.
At that time, the sun's activity was at the minimum point of its 11-year solar cycle. During the time of the appropriately-named "solar minimum," the sun emits fewer solar flares and coronal mass ejections, according to NASA.
What that meant for eclipse spectators was that while they could see the sun's oft-hidden outermost layer known as the corona, its activity was otherwise relatively quiet. White streams of light belonging to the corona were merely restricted to the equatorial regions of the star.
Things won't be quite so tame this year now that the sun is at the height of its activity – its solar maximum – and its magnetic field is "more like a tangled hairball," NASA says. Those same streamers will likely be more pervasive, making the corona brighter when the moon blocks the sun's disk and brings on totality.
In addition to that, viewers will have a better chance to see prominences, which appear as bright pink curls or loops coming off the Sun, according to NASA.
In order for a total eclipse to occur, the moon but be close enough in its orbit of Earth to appear, at least to us, to be the same size of the sun.
While the effects of the eclipse can last for a decent amount of time, totality only occurs at the moment that the moon completely blocks the sun's light from reaching us, shrouding those in the path in an uncharacteristic daytime darkness.
This year though, the moon will be even bigger than it was in 2017, meaning those precious moments of totality will last for even longer, according to eclipse2024.org.
Seven years ago, the longest period of totality occurred for about 2 minutes and 42 seconds near Carbondale, Illinois, according to NASA. On April 8, that time will nearly double in an area just northwest of the Mexican city of Torreón, where spectators will experience a totality lasting 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
Many places in the United States along the eclipse's sweeping path will experience a totality lasting for multiple minutes – and, in some places, also surpassing four minutes.
Even as the eclipse exits the U.S. and enters the maritime provinces of Canada, totality will last up to 3 minutes, 21 seconds.
Along its 115-mile journey, the eclipse will pass through 13 U.S. states comprising hundreds of cities and small towns.
That represents a larger swath of the continent and more people along the path than in 2017 who will have a near front row seat to the spectacular sight of the eclipse, NASA says. While the 2017 path ranged from about 62 to 71 miles wide, this year's eclipse is projected to range between 108 and 122 miles wide.
An estimated 31 million Americans already live on the path, which doesn't even account for the countless tourists sure to flock to major cities sure to experience the eclipse, according to eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler at GreatAmericanEclipse.com. Seven years ago, meanwhile, just 12 million Americans lives along the path, while an additional 150 million people were within 200 miles of it, according to NASA.
All told, 13 states in the U.S. comprised of hundreds of cities and small towns are directly on the path of totality. Additionally, small parts of Tennessee and Michigan are also expected to experience the eclipse, NASA says.
If you want to see the time and duration for when totality would occur in cities along the path, see these interactive maps.
As if a breathtaking solar eclipse won't be enough, there's a small chance that the horned "devil comet" may make an appearance that same day as it makes its closest orbital approach to Earth later in the month.
And if you plan on viewing the eclipse, just remember certified safety eyewear is a must until the moon completely blocks out the sun's light, leaving only the outermost layer visible. To make it easy while you're shopping online, the American Astronomical Society maintains a curated list of approved vendors.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]
