What occurs step by step as you slide into totality?

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Let’s go through what you will see and experience during the total eclipse of the sun on Monday, April 8.

ECLIPSE GLASSES ON

Shortly after 2 p.m. the partial phase of the eclipse will begin. The moon will begin edging across the sun’s disk.

As this phase continues and totality approaches, the sliver of the sun will get smaller and smaller. The sky will begin to darken. Shadows will start to become clearer and sharper. Past eclipse viewers describe this period as “weird.” It’s more and more obvious something is happening as more of the sun is covered.

ECLIPSE GLASSES STILL ON

We’re getting closer. The remaining shadows become very sharp. You will feel like something is wrong with your eyes. The temperature starts to drop and the wind picks up a bit. Birds begin to roost and evening bugs start to emerge as they think it’s sunset…even though it’s the middle of the day.

ECLIPSE GLASSES STILL ON

We’re heading toward totality. The sky becomes a dark navy blue heading toward black. Get ready the fun is about to start.

GLASSES STILL ON

• Stop looking around and look at the sun. The next few steps happen quickly.
• The sky darkens quickly
• Planets and stars become visible
• The moon’s shadow races toward you from the west. The remaining sky near the horizon will take on an orangish glow similar to sunset. This will happen in all directions.
• Look for Baily’s Beads. As the remaining sunlight travels through the valleys of the moon, there will be a bead-like ring around the edges of the moon, ending in a bright bead as the moon finally blocks the sun. This only lasts for a couple of seconds.
• Once this final bead disappears you are in totality

GLASSES OFF!!

Now is the time to stare at the sun and take in everything. It might only be a few seconds to 3 or more minutes that you are in totality. You will see stars and planets. Look at the glowing corona of the sun. You might even see prominences erupting from the sun…they will appear as orange items near the sun’s disk. Notice the sunset colors along the horizon in all directions. You are in the shadow of the moon.

HAVE GLASSES READY TO GO BACK ON

At first, the right side of the sun will begin to appear and the western horizon will rapidly begin to get brighter. Totality is over.

ECLIPSE GLASSES GO BACK ON AND STAY ON WHEN LOOKING AT THE SUN

Now everything leading up to totality will happen in the reverse order.

Enjoy the show.

Thanks to Eclipse2024.org for being a source for much of the information in this article.