Solar eclipse 2024: When did the US last see one? There's another Great American Eclipse coming next month.
A total solar eclipse will cross North American skies on April 8, and Ohio residents will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view it.
The moon will pass between the earth and sun, completely blocking the sun’s rays from anywhere between 10 seconds to nearly four and a half minutes during the longest time of totality in north-central Mexico.
Since it lies in the path of totality, Cleveland will experience more than three minutes of complete darkness during the eclipse. Cincinnati and Columbus won't go totally dark but will still experience a great degree of darkness on April 8.
Solar eclipse mp: What time is the total solar eclipse on April 8? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide
Total solar eclipses are considered rare. So when was the last time the US saw one?
The 2017 Great American Eclipse
On August 21, 2017, over 500 million people had the opportunity to view a total solar eclipse. This total solar eclipse was named the “Great American Eclipse”. The path of totality fell on cities in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Did Ohio see the Great American Eclipse?
Solar eclipse 2024: How long will solar eclipse darkness last in Ohio cities? Explore these interactive maps
On that day in 2017, the path of totality for this eclipse began at 1:16 pm ET in Newport, Oregon, and ended at 2:48 pm ET in Charleston, South Carolina. During this day, the path of totality for that solar eclipse was in view in states close to Ohio, including in western Kentucky, southern Illinois, and Tennessee.
Will this year’s eclipse be even better?
On April 8, during the predicted time of the total solar eclipse, the sun will be at peak activity, making its corona — the outermost part of the Sun's atmosphere — brighter and more visible (as long as the skies remain clear).
Get ready for a show: Remember the 2017 total solar eclipse? Here's why the 2024 event will be bigger and better
What about the 2023 annual solar eclipse?
Like the 2017 Great American Eclipse, the 2023 annual solar eclipse also skipped Ohio.
The 2023 event started in Oregon and covered large portions of Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas in darkness, according to Great American Eclipse.
When is the next eclipse in Ohio?
The 2024 solar eclipse is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for most Ohioans. The next time the Buckeye State will experience a solar eclipse is in 2099.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When was the last solar eclipse in the US?
