Chasing Shadows

On April 8, 2024, millions of Americans will experience a total solar eclipse. As the Moon moves in front of the Sun, the familiar brightness of daylight will succumb to shadow. In little more than an hour and 40 minutes, the Moon’s shadow will cross from the coast of Mazatlan, Mexico, to the shores of Maberly, Canada. Those experiencing totality will get to do so for a matter of minutes before the Moon’s shadow continues northeastward.

Eclipses are fairly common on a global scale. Earth is the stage for 2–5 partial solar eclipses every year. But total solar eclipses—the kind that almost instantly turn day into night—only happen once every year and a half or so. It is one thing for the planet to experience an eclipse. But if you want to witness totality, you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time. And the window is small: you must be within the 115-mile-wide path of the eclipse. And you must do this inside the 3–4 minutes the Moon’s shadow will be present.

Ken Field, a cartographer with Esri, designed a striking map to show just when and where totality will occur. The map is made with data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS). A print version of the map uses spot UV and gold foil to create a special experience when viewed in person.