The solar eclipse on April 8 will bring eerie darkness to a long swath of the United States, Canada and Mexico during totality — the few moments when the moon covers the sun’s face completely, thereby blocking its light.
Totality is a completely different experience from 99% eclipse coverage. First and foremost, totality is the only safe time to look directly at the sun without solar eclipse glasses or other certified eye protection. But viewers within the path of totality will also have the chance to view a host of unique eclipse phenomena.
Only during totality do the skies turn twilight-dark, and only during totality is the sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, visible as wispy projections of light emanating from behind the moon. Being inside the path of totality is also the only way to see eclipse features such as Baily’s beads, which are the last rays of light sneaking past the mountains on the moon.
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