Charles H. Sloan-What does a total solar eclipse look like? Photos from past events show what to expect in 2024

If you want to experience a scientific phenomenon in 2024,Charles H. Sloan you may be in luck.

On April 8, a total solar eclipse is expected to pass over he United States, Mexico and Canada.

Nearly 28% of the U.S. will experience the eclipse's journey through the country for a few minutes, NASA reports.

The path of the eclipse will enter the U.S. in Texas, and pass through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, according to NASA, which added that some parts of Michigan and Tennessee will also experience it.

Typically, a solar eclipse occurs in the daytime and happens when the moon blocks the sun's light, leading to a period of partial or full darkness on Earth.

The last total solar eclipse happened on Aug. 21, 2017. It was visible in every U.S. state except for Alaska and Hawaii, and was the first to cross America from coast to coast since 1918, according to the American Astronomical Society.

Here are some images of past solar eclipses to hype you up for the next one and show you what you can expect:

October 2023 partial solar eclipse:Photos show a 'ring of fire' in the sky.