The total solar eclipse has 10 distinct phases - here's what they look like
Soon after, the experience will be complete. After the fourth contact, the moon will cease to cover up the sun.
You'll start to see the crescent sun of a partial eclipse once again.
Then the light will start to intensify, creating another "diamond ring."
During this eclipse, totality will last a maximum of 2 minutes and 43 seconds. After that, the moon will continue on its way, making its third contact. Once again, you'll briefly see "Baily's beads" (your solar filters should go on again).
According to NASA, the longest possible total solar eclipse will occur July 16, 2186. That will last 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and pass through Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana.
During the total eclipse, you can see the corona — the sun's outer atmosphere — surrounding the moon. Mark Littman and Fred Espenek, authors of "Totality: The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024" recommend looking to see whether the corona looks symmetrical, or if it bunches up around the poles of the sun.
Totality begins when the moon makes its second contact with the sun and entirely blocks it out. The view is about as bright as a full moon, and it's safe to look without your solar filter glasses. (But that's only true during totality.)
A few seconds before totality begins, you can start to see an effect called "Baily's beads," in which the sunlight passes through the valleys on the surface of the moon. It lasts for only a few moments before the totality begins.
After about an hour or so, the moon will almost completely block out the sun. At that point, you'll start to see a bright light radiate out of the sliver of distance between the sun and the moon, known as the "diamond ring."
The moon will continue to cover up the sun, forming what's known as a crescent sun that looks like this.
The eclipse kicks off with what's called first contact, when the moon starts to pass across the sun.
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