2024 Solar Eclipse Headquarters
Save the Date! On April 8th, 2024, you and your students may be able to take in a rare cosmic treat - a total solar eclipse! Let Kids Discover Online be your first stop for classroom resources with these featured Units, Videos, and more!
Videos About the Eclipse
For centuries, most people assumed that the Sun traveled around Earth. It seemed like an obvious fact, proven by every sunrise and sunset. Then, in 1543, the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus declared that the Earth actually revolves around the Sun!
The time the Moon takes to turn on its axis and the time it takes to orbit Earth are equal—27.32 days. Thus, the Moon is in a synchronous rotation with Earth, so one side of the Moon, called the near side, always faces Earth.
Topics About the Eclipse
Edison Invented the Lightbulb
In 1878, Edison joined a scientific expedition to Wyoming. The scientists were going to watch a total eclipse of the Sun. Edison also wanted to use his newly invented tasimeter.
Moon in Motion
Every so often, part or all of one heavenly body is hidden from view by the shadow of another. That’s called an eclipse. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon blocks the Sun’s light from some area on Earth.
Mysterious Stonehenge
Some believe the monument was an astronomical calendar. According to this group, the placement of the stones predicted solar eclipses and marked the summer and winter solstices.
Seeing the Sun
“Don’t look directly at the Sun!” How many times have you heard this warning? Now the National Science Foundation’s Inouye Solar Telescope at the top of Haleakala, an ancient volcano in Hawaii, can do it for you.
The Sun
Billions of years ago, huge clouds of gas began clumping together, pushed into each other by gravity. As the clump grew, so did its gravity. The greater the gravity, the more gas the clump attracted.
Blog Posts About the Eclipse
Eclipse Preparation
101
In the last month or so, if you’ve somehow been able to avoid social media, the news, socializing, or you’ve been hiding under a rock, then you might be unaware that there is a solar eclipse coming to a sky near you!
Getting Ready for a Solar Eclipse
Mark your calendars for April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will move through the skies over areas of Mexico, the US, and Canada. It's important to watch the eclipse as safely as possible.
