A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. The Moon covers the Sun from our perspective, making it look like the Sun is disappearing. What makes a solar eclipse partial is that the line between the Earth, Moon, and Sun isn't perfectly straight. Because of this, part of the Sun stays visible, giving it the appearance of a crescent.

This eclipse will be total for viewers along a narrow path which starts in the south Pacific, then runs through Mexico, the U.S. from Texas to Maine, and southeastern Canada, and finally ends in the north Atlantic. Tucson is about 560 miles from this path, which is why we'll see a partial eclipse at this location.

From ARIZONA we will see about 75% of the Sun's diameter and 70% of the Sun's area covered by the Moon.  Our next chance to see a solar eclipse will be in 2028, but only a small fraction of the Sun will be covered at that time.  The next eclipse we'll see that's as good as this one will be in 2045.

Safety is the number one priority when viewing a total solar eclipse. Be sure you're familiar with when you need to wear specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing by reviewing these safety guidelines.

TUCSON: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/tucson?iso=20240408

PHOENIX: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/phoenix?iso=20240408