On Aug. 21, 2017, a complete photo voltaic eclipse sliced from coast to coast throughout the Decrease 48, darkening skies from Oregon to South Carolina. For as much as 2 minutes 40 seconds, the moon extinguished the solar, forsaking solely a gaping black gap within the sky surrounded by the solar’s corona — a crownlike ambiance. And on April 8 — just some weeks from now — the heavens will do it once more.Besides this time, it will likely be higher. Extra individuals will see it. It can last more. And the eclipse itself will look extra spectacular for quite a lot of causes.It’s the final complete photo voltaic eclipse seen from the US till Aug. 23, 2044. On common, any given location experiences a complete photo voltaic eclipse as soon as each 375 years.Right here’s why this one can be higher than the final one.1. The corona can be extra dynamicMost importantly, the corona — the solar’s outermost layer — can be particularly magnificent. The corona is made up of diaphanous, glowing plasma superheated to about 2 million levels. It followers outward into area just like the silver hairs of an angel, every strand representing the plasma contorted by the solar’s magnetic area traces.How wonky the corona is is determined by the solar’s magnetic area, which is continually evolving over its 11-year cycle. That’s why every eclipse is alleged to have its personal character.For the 2017 eclipse in North America, the solar was heading towards “photo voltaic minimal,” however nonetheless had three prominences — armlike appendages of magnetism and lightweight that had been seen from Earth.Throughout the 2019 complete photo voltaic eclipse in South America, the eclipse was comparatively uninteresting for the reason that magnetic area was unremarkable — however polar streamers, or traces emanating out of the solar’s north and south poles, may very well be seen.This time round, we’re reaching photo voltaic most. That’s when the solar has bands of interfering magnetism close to its equator, and the north and south poles are about to flip. That magnetic battle zone leads to the formation of many sunspots, or bruiselike discolorations that bubble up from contained in the solar to its floor, nearly like a lava lamp. Each pours magnetic flux into area.You’ll in all probability see “streamers” of photo voltaic wind streaming away from the solar, and maybe some coronal loops — loops of magnetism the place the magnetic area is as much as 1,000 instances stronger than the solar’s ambient background area.2. The shadow can be greater and darkerIn 2017, the moon’s shadow traced a path as much as 71.2 miles vast. On April 8, the shadow can be as much as 122.6 miles vast as a result of the Earth can be a little bit nearer to the moon.Meaning the sky can be darker inside the path of totality and, should you’re close to the centerline, daylight will bodily be farther away. The 360-degree dawn phenomenon, manifest as a peachy twilight illumination of the horizon, could have barely extra dramatic hues. And the sudden dusk will really feel extra like evening. You’ll in all probability additionally see extra stars and planets.Jupiter can be current to the left of the solar, with Venus — which is able to seem brightest — to the best. Saturn and Mars can even make appearances to the best of Venus, although they’ll be dim and possibly laborious to see with out binoculars or a telescope.There’s even an outdoor likelihood you can view the comet Pons-Brooks close to Jupiter (with an observing assist, not with the bare eye), however that can be even fainter than the planets. And, as the full eclipse will final just a few minutes, you is likely to be higher off taking within the total expertise slightly than attempting to trace down hard-to-find celestial objects.3. Extra individuals will see itNot solely will the moon’s shadow cowl extra space this time, however the path of totality can even monitor over extra main city areas. In Texas, San Antonio and Austin will each be alongside the sting of the trail, whereas Dallas can be close to the middle. To the north and east, the full eclipse will go by Little Rock in Arkansas; Evansville, Indianapolis and the southeast suburbs of Fort Wayne in Indiana; Toledo, Cleveland, Akron, and the northwest suburbs of Cincinnati and Columbus in Ohio; Erie, Pa.; Buffalo and Rochester in New York; and Burlington, Vt.About 12 million People lived within the 2017 path, however 32 million reside inside this yr’s path of totality. About 150 million individuals reside inside 200 miles of the trail — together with residents of Washington, Philadelphia, New York Metropolis and Boston.The larger shadow will take longer to go over every location. The 2017 eclipse lasted as much as 2 minutes 40 seconds, however this eclipse has a most length of 4 minutes 28 seconds. With regards to photo voltaic eclipses, each fleeting second spent within the moon’s shadow is valuable. It’s the one time us Earth dwellers can stare up in awe on the solar’s ambiance.Right here’s a take a look at how lengthy the eclipse will final in several cities:Dallas downtown will see 3 minutes 51 seconds regardless of being 30 miles from the eclipse’s centerline.Little Rock, on the sting of totality, will get 2 minutes 20 seconds — however a brief drive to Conway, about 25 miles to the northwest, will yield 3 minutes 53 seconds of totality.Carbondale, In poor health., a city that was on the centerline for the 2017 eclipse, will expertise 4 minutes 8 seconds of totality this time.Paducah, Ky., is simply two miles into the trail of totality’s southeast facet, and sees solely about 90 seconds of totality. Driving up Interstate 24 towards Vienna, In poor health., nonetheless, will earn you an additional two-plus minutes within the moon’s shadow.Indianapolis will see a whopping 3 minutes 49 seconds.Niagara Falls can anticipate simply over 3½ minutes of totality.5. Its arrival can be extra dramaticDuring a photo voltaic eclipse, the moon’s shadow travels over a protracted, very slender path. At the start and finish of the trail, the moon’s shadow is touring quickest. That’s due to the geometry of Earth and the actions of celestial our bodies. Towards the center, the shadow travels comparatively slowly.In 2017, the shadow swept ashore in Oregon shifting at round 2,400 mph, however slowed to 1,850 mph by the point it crossed into Wyoming. It reached a minimal pace of 1,449 mph simply northwest of Nashville earlier than dashing up once more and exiting the South Carolina coast at 1,486 mph.However this time, the shadow strikes sooner throughout nearly all of the U.S. monitor. It can begin in Texas at about 1,600 mph, however can be zipping alongside at 1,850 mph upon reaching Indianapolis. In Rochester, N.Y., the shadow will pace by at 2,359 mph; it would exit Maine at 3,041 mph.What does this imply? Merely that the transition from day to nighttime alongside the trail of totality can be just a bit faster and extra dramatic. It additionally means the partial part of the eclipse can be compressed a little bit bit.