Photo by Drew Raw, Pexels

By Staff

March 27, 2024: On April 8th, parts of New York State will experience a solar eclipse. This is a rare occurrence. In fact, according to New York Governor Hochul, this is the first solar eclipse over New York State in 99 years.

According to Governor Hochul, the eclipse “will encompass 29 counties in the western and northern parts of New York State.” The photo below shows the path of the total eclipse in New York State.

While Bronxville is not in the specific path of the eclipse, the Governor says that "for other areas of the state that are outside the path of totality, there will still be 88 percent to over 99 percent coverage."

According to Hochul, the eclipse will “encompass the western and northern parts of New York State” from around 3:15 to 3:30.

There are a number of eclipse gatherings across the state.  Click here to learn more.

The Governor reminded New Yorkers to wear protective eye gear to view the eclipse.

What causes a Solar Eclipse?

According to NASA Science a solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. By doing so, the Moon blocks the Sun’s light and casts a shadow on part of the Earth. 

NASA Science says the following about a solar eclipse: “The Moon’s shadow creates a trail as Earth rotates. This trail is called the path of totality. If you want to experience total darkness during an eclipse, you have to be in the path of totality. In that path, the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s light for a few minutes. It gets so dark that it looks like night time during a full Moon!”

When the Moon blocks part of the Sun’s light, it’s called a partial solar eclipse. When the Moon blocks all of the Sun’s light, it’s called a total solar eclipse.