The first solar eclipse ever recorded was on the 5th of March, 1223 BC in Ugarit, a city in modern day Syria. The first image, however, was taken in Prussia on July 28th, 1851. Total solar eclipses are spectacles that normally occur once every 18 months. They happen when the moon falls in line with the sun blocking our view of the sun almost entirely.
For the first time since August 21st, 2017, a solar eclipse will run across the United States. On the 8th of April, areas such as Central Texas, Southern Illinois, and much of the North Atlantic States will see a total eclipse. Chicago and its surrounding areas will reach a 94% totality meaning we won’t have a total eclipse.
Surprisingly, people are renting their homes as AirBNB’s to travelers following the eclipse. If you plan on making the commute down to where you will see a total eclipse, or even if you don’t, it is important to remember that you still can’t look directly at the eclipse without proper protection. As recommended by NASA, a pair of eclipse glasses must meet the International Organization for Standardization’s standard in order for you to be completely safe. This can be found on the inside of your pair of glasses.
The eclipse lasted about 2 and a half hours spanning from the times 12:51 to 3:21 reaching the darkest point at 2:07. The sky did not dim as much as you would expect despite northern Illinois seeing 94% totality although it still was a cool sight. If you missed this one, then you’re out of luck until the year 204 when the next Total Eclipse will pass through the US. If your too lazy to travel out of state, the next total eclipse in Illinois will be in 2099. Just make sure you make the best out of it because it might be your last!
