1st solar eclipse of 2024 to grace North American skies on Monday

New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Skygazers in North America are in for a treat today as the first solar eclipse of 2024 will shine bright on Monday night.

During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on the planet.

The Moon appears almost the same size as the Sun, completely blocking the Sun's visible disk.

While the celestial event will not be visible in India, it will sweep across 15 states in the US, and Canada, according to NASA.

The eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean, with its path reaching Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 11:07 a.m. Pacific Time before entering the United States in Texas.

People living in US states like Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York are likely to witness the eclipse.

The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton and exit continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. NDT, NASA said.

Search engine Google has also commemorated the solar eclipse with a special animation that appears when users search for eclipse-related information.