"Countdown Begins: North America Prepares for Rare 2024 Solar Eclipse"

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America, casting a diagonal line across parts of 13 US states, Mexico, and Canada. The eclipse will be visible within a 115-mile wide swath, and totality will stretch to around four and a half minutes. The last total solar eclipse in the US was in 2017, and the next one after 2024 will only be visible in Montana and the Dakotas. Planning ahead is key to catch the full eclipse experience, and eclipse glasses are necessary to avoid eye damage.