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In the next year, South Texas will have 2 solar eclipses, both visible from UTSA. One of these is a total solar eclipse, the most spectacular astronomical sight visible to the naked eye. This eclipse occurs on April 8th, 2024, and UTSA's main campus is in the path of totality - the area of the moon's shadow that is cast on Earth.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is aligned between the sun and Earth. This causes the moon to cast a shadow directly onto Earth. People that fall under the darkest part of this shadow, or the umbra, will be able to witness a total solar eclipse. Those in the outer areas of this shadow, the penumbra, will see a partial eclipse.
Eclipse Viewing Safety
While the moon's shadow may be blocking our view of the sun, your eyes can still be permanently damaged when directly looking at a solar eclipse without proper protection. In order to safely view the eclipse, you can use special solar eclipse glasses or a welder's mask with a rating of 14.
The only time it's safe to look directly at an eclipse is during totality - which only lasts for about 2 and a half minutes!