A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on our planet. The five stages of a total solar eclipse are: partial eclipse, annular eclipse, penumbral eclipse, partial eclipse and total eclipse.
Total solar eclipses are rare and can only be seen from a small area on Earth’s surface. If you’re lucky enough to witness one, make sure to take photos and videos of it for posterity!

Source: Timeanddate
What Are The 5 Stages Of A Total Solar Eclipse
totality: the total eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun.partial eclipse: when part of the sun is covered by the moon.annular eclipse: when an annulus, or ring, appears around the sun.penumbral eclipse: when a penumbra, or partial shadow, falls on Earth.umbral eclipse: when only the umbra, or darkest part, of the moon’s disk touches Earth.
Totality
All eyes will be on the United States as the country witnesses its first total solar eclipse in years. The last time a total solar eclipse was seen from the contiguous US was May During totality, the moon will entirely cover the sun and all of its light will be blocked out.
Totality begins at p.m. EDT and lasts for minutes, seconds. There is no mistaking totality because it will be an event that you won’t want to miss! If you are planning to view totality, make sure to stay safe and have proper viewing gear with you. Even if you don’t live in the contiguous US, you can still see this amazing phenomenon thanks to livestreaming services like NASA TV or YouTube Space Channel (with specific content restrictions).
After totality ends, there is a brief period of darkness known as “the diamond ring effect” where the sun’s light gradually returns to normal over a span of around minutes and seconds .. For those who missed totality, there are other ways to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event such as through photos or videos taken during totality or after it ends . . Regardless of whether or not you were able to witness totality, know that this celestial event has left us all in awe and we are forever changed by witnessing it firsthand!
Partial Eclipse
The total solar eclipse will start out as a partial eclipse and get darker and darker the closer to totality it gets. Totality is when the moon covers the sun entirely, creating an amazing spectacle for viewers all over the world.
There are five stages of the solar eclipse, with each one getting progressively more exciting. Stage is when the moon partially blocks out the sunlight, making everything look a little bit different. Stage is when most of the sun is blocked by the moon, causing a deep red cast to appear on Earth.
Stage is when almost of the sun has been covered by the moon and things get really dark! Finally, in stage only a sliver of sunlight remains and this is where you can see some truly stunning visuals. Make sure to check NASA’s Eclipse website for updates and information on how to watch the total solar eclipse safely from anywhere in the world!
Annular Eclipse
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks out the sun’s light and casts a shadow on Earth. The five stages of a total solar eclipse are: partial eclipse, penumbral eclipse, partial eclipse, umbral eclipse, and totality.
Partial Eclipse: During this stage, only a sliver of the sun is blocked out by the moon. Penumbral Eclipse: This occurs when the moon begins to block out more of the sun’s light. Partial Eclipse: The moon completely blocks out the sun’s light and you can see a faint silver ring around it during this stage.
Umbral Eclipse: This is when darkness falls over most of Earth as the moon casts its shadow across our planet. Totality: When the moon fully covers the sun, it becomes an annular eclipse – which looks like a ring around the sun!
Penumbral Eclipse
Only a narrow sliver of the sun will be visible during totality, which is the darkest part of the eclipse. During the penumbral phase, you can see a faint ring around the moon as it passes in front of the sun.
The partial phase starts about an hour before totality and lasts for about two hours. The umbra, or shadow, falls on Earth at p.m. EST and covers a path from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. You are safe to look directly at the sun during totality if you have proper eye protection and know where to look.
It is not safe to view the eclipse without proper eye protection even if you are in the umbra region. Make sure your eyes are properly protected by wearing sunglasses that block percent of sunlight and special-purpose solar filters glasses known as “eclipse glasses” or “solar viewers” that only allow light passing through certain parts of the lens to enter your eye(s).
Viewing an eclipse without proper eyewear could result in serious injury or blindness if your eyes are unprotected when looking directly at the sun’s surface
Umbral Eclipse
The total solar eclipse will be visible from a narrow path across the United States on Aug. The umbral phase of the eclipse will start at a.m. PDT and end at p.m. PDT, according to NASA.
During the umbral phase, the moon will cover percent of the sun’s disk, leaving only a sliver of it visible to observers on Earth. Totality (the entire eclipse) will last hour and minutes, according to SpaceWeatherLive.com.
If you’re anywhere within the path of totality, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime event! However, if you can’t make it to see the partial or total solar eclipse in person, don’t worry – You can still experience its effects by watching it online! Eclipse watchers should use special viewing glasses or filters that protect your eyes during the event, advises NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS).
GISS also offers an interactive map that shows where people are viewing the eclipse live and where they can view footage later on after the event concludes (see below). There is no need to travel to see the total solar eclipse – Anyone with an internet connection can watch it online! “The phenomenon is not just beautiful but also amazing because our understanding of how planets work has changed as a result,” said Dr Kathryn Hansen from GISS in a statement about why people should watch the eclipse online.”
Overview Of The Eclipse
Depending on your location, a total solar eclipse will be visible from anywhere on Earth. The phases of the eclipse can be seen as the moon moves across the sun’s surface.
Totality – when the moon completely covers the sun – can last for up to minutes and seconds. The partial phases – when parts of the sun are obscured by the moon – can last for up to hours and minutes.
There is no need to leave your home during totality; you can view it live online or on TV. The total solar eclipse will also be visible from an area in Antarctica this year! Although rare, there is always a chance that a total solar eclipse will not be visible from your location due to weather conditions or time of day.
If you want to experience more than one total solar eclipse in your lifetime, make sure to plan ahead! No matter where you are during the eclipse, don’t look at the sun without special eye protection! Remember that even though a total solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event, you can still enjoy it by taking photos and videos and sharing them with friends
The Path Of The Eclipse
The total solar eclipse can be seen from a wide area of the world, but it is best viewed from locations in the middle of the path. If you are located in one of the designated viewing areas, know that it will be dark for about an hour and a half.
Make sure to have all your supplies with you, including sunglasses, snacks, drinks, and a blanket or lawn chair. Be prepared for traffic disruptions and take into account weather conditions before making plans to travel to see the eclipse. If you are not located in one of the designated viewing areas, there is still plenty to see during totality without making too much of a trip! Partial eclipses will be seen throughout most of North America while Europe sees its first partial solar eclipse this year during the morning hours on August h There are also chances during future years for other types of eclipses such as a lunar eclipse A partial solar eclipse occurs when only part of the sun is blocked by the moon Solar eclipses occur when Earth’s orbit intersects with the sun’s path Each time an alignment like this happens, astronomers name it after an animal – this time we got “The Great American Eclipse”
Conclusion
When the moon passes between the Earth and sun, it casts a shadow on the planet. This is what we call a solar eclipse, and it happens when the moon blocks out all of the sunlight from reaching our planet.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely covers the sun. There are five different stages of an eclipse: partial, annular, penumbral, partial and total. It’s important to know which stage you’re in so that you can watch it safely!