Shrine Catholic Grade School physical education teacher Gabe Flores holds protective glasses for student Kate Bates, 11, in Royal Oak.
Metro | Published April 8, 2024
A total solar eclipse brought all ages out to marvle at the sky Monday, April 8. In metro Detroit, some schools let students out early or cancelled classes, and streams of skywatchers clogged some freeways for a better view in Ohio.
The path of totality — the line across Earth along which the moon completely blocked out the sun — fell across a sliver of southeast Michigan. The last time North America experienced a total solar eclipse was 2017, and the last time Michigan experienced a total eclipse was 1954.
According to University of Michigan astronomer and physicist David Gerdes, Michigan will have to wait 75 years — 2099 — to see another total solar eclipse.
Eclipses happen when the moon passes directly in front of the sun. By an amazing cosmic coincidence, the moon's diameter is 400 times smaller than the sun, and the sun is about 400 times farther away. So, as seen from Earth, they have almost the same apparent size, and the moon can almost exactly cover the sun.
The total eclipse lasted about four minutes. Schools and libraries equipped communities with eclipse glasses made with very dark film to keep eyes safe. They are so dark that they block anything less bright than the sun.