(KIMT) — A Total Solar Eclipse will begin across the globe around 12 PM central time Wednesday. The United States will be able to see the eclipse partially with a maximum totality of up to 28% in parts of Maine. The father south and west you are from the northeast United States, the lower amounts of totality will be seen Wednesday afternoon.
Parts of Greenland, Iceland, and Spain will be the lucky winners this time around as the path of totality tracks through those countries, ending Wednesday evening.
A Total Solar Eclipse occurs as the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun on its orbit. The Moon casts a shadow on the Earth and blocks sunlight in a very narrow swath.
These types of events occurs when a New Moon is present and while the Moon is near Perigee, which is the closest point from Earth that the Moon orbits. Once at Perigee, the Moon is “large” enough to totally cover the Sun’s rays from reaching Earth. Total darkness occurs in the “umbra” of the Moon’s shadow.
The Total Solar Eclipse will hardly be visible in SE Minnesota and North Iowa as totality ranges from 0% to 0.1%. The next Total Solar Eclipse with the path of totality passing through SE Minnesota will occur on September 14, 2099. North Iowa will not see totality, but will be very close.
Great American Eclipse