On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will pass over North, Central, and South America.
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will pass over North America.
This map shows the path the Moon's shadow will take across the United States during these two solar eclipses.
Can you find your city or town on the map?
Explore the activities below to learn about the different types of eclipses, and how and where to view them.
What is an eclipse?
An eclipse happens when an object in space blocks an observer from seeing another object in space. On Earth, we can see lunar eclipses and solar eclipses. For this page, we're going to focus on solar eclipses.
What are the different types of solar eclipses?
There are four! The type of eclipse depends on how the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned.
Please remember that you can only look at the Sun safely if you have special safety glasses protecting your eyes!
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely blocks the Sun from the person viewing on Earth because they are exactly aligned.
A partial solar eclipse happens when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not exactly lined up. Only part of the Sun is blocked from a person looking at it from Earth
An annular solar eclipse happens when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are lined up, but the Moon is at its farthest point from the Earth. A person looking at it from Earth will the Sun blocked by the Moon but will still be able to see a bright ring of the Sun.
A hybrid eclipse happens when an eclipse changes from an annular eclipse to a total eclipse, and back again.
Are solar eclipses rare?
Solar eclipses actually happen about twice a year! They only seem rare because they aren't always able to be seen where people live. If you look at the map at the top of this page, you'll see that the path the Moon's shadow takes only covers part of the Earth.
On Demand Activities
Jump to a Section: Solar Eclipse Model Spotlight Story Story Time Recommendations Shadow Puppets Explore Out of the House
Activity: Make a Solar Eclipse Model - Two Options!
For an eclipse to happen, the Sun, Moon, and Earth have to line up just right! Give it a try using materials you can find around your home.
For ages 10 and up
Materials Needed:
- One yardstick or dowel measuring 30 inches long
- Clay - Modeling clay, Play-Doh or model magic
- 2 toothpicks
- 2 small binder clips
- Bright light source - it could be the Sun on a clear day or a flashlight
Step 1:
Make a ball 1 inch wide to be the Earth and a ball 1/4 inch wide to be the Moon. Gently stick a toothpick into each ball.
Step 2:
Take your yardstick or dowel, and attach the Earth model to one end with a binder clip.
Step 3:
Measure 30 inches away from the Earth ball using your yardstick or measuring tape, and attach the Moon ball there with the other binder clip. Your model now represents the average distance between the Earth and Moon if they were this size.
Step 4:
Take your model outside on a sunny day, or have someone shine a flashlight toward you.
Hold the model so the stick points toward the Sun or flashlight, with the Moon ball closer to the light, and try to line up the Earth ball so that the Moon’s tiny shadow lands on it.
Don't worry if it takes time to do this. It’s difficult!
Think About It!
Even though the real Earth and Moon feel pretty big to us, they are much smaller than the space between them, and they very rarely line up with the Sun exactly.
That’s why we only see eclipses a few times per year.
For ages 4 and up
Materials Needed:
- One large ball, like a beach ball or basketball
- One small ball, like a tennis ball
- A bright light source, like the Sun or a flashlight
Step 1:
Choose who will hold the Earth (the large ball) and who will hold the Moon (the small ball).
Step 2:
Have the person holding the Earth stand in one place while the person holding the Moon takes three big steps away from the Earth.
Step 3:
Hold up the Moon in front of the light source and make a shadow on the Earth. You've just created an eclipse!
Step 4:
Move the Moon's shadow so it moves across the Earth. You've just created a model of the solar eclipse path!
Think About It!
What did you notice about the shadow of the Moon on the Earth? Does it cover the whole Earth or just part of it?
Modified from a NISENet Solar Eclipse activity
Spotlight Story: Cecilia Payne
Scientist Cecilia Payne didn't study eclipses, but she did make an important discovery about stars, which include our Sun.
Story Time Recommendations
By Frank Asch
Best for ages 3 to 7
Celebrate all of the ways the Sun plays an important role in our lives.
By Andy Rash
Best for ages 4 to 8
Follow along in this story about a father and son's adventure to see a total solar eclipse.
By Kirsten Larson, illustrated by Katherine Roy
Best for ages 6 and up
Learn more about scientist Cecilia Payne and how she worked to make an important discovery.
Activity: Celebrate the Solar Eclipse with Shadow Puppets
When you're in a dark room and you put your hand in front of a light, what happens? You make a shadow!
An eclipse happens when the Moon gets in the way of the Sun's light, which makes a shadow on the Earth. This image shows the Moon's shadow on the Earth as seen from the International Space Station during the 2017 solar eclipse.
Watch the craft time video to learn how to make shadow puppets!
Materials Needed:
- Construction paper
- Craft sticks
- Tape
- Scissors
Tip: Use a globe or map of the Earth and a bright light source to make shadows on the Earth.
Explore Out of the House!
- Only use special eclipse glasses to look at the Sun. It is never safe to look directly at the Sun.
- Check your local library to see if they are handing out eclipse glasses.
- Another safe way to view the eclipse is by using tools that help you see it indirectly using a pinhole viewer from your kitchen—a colander!
- During an eclipse, take the colander outside and put your back towards the Sun.
- Hold the colander up.
- Usually you would see circles of light, but during an solar eclipse, you'll see the Moon blocking the Sun!
Soar Together at Air and Space is made possible by the generous support of Northrop Grumman.