Total solar eclipse photographed from Madras, Oregon on August 21, 2017

© NASA/Aubrey Gemignan

Gaze up, skywatchers!. Total solar eclipse

Put on your solar glasses and turn your eyes skyward. Today, you can witness a rare celestial event—a total solar eclipse! As the moon perfectly aligns between the Earth and the sun, daytime will eerily shift to twilight. The total solar eclipse will be visible across North America, from Mazatlán, Mexico, to eastern Canada's Newfoundland Island, for up to four and a half minutes between 10:57 am PST and 4:47 pm ADT A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth approximately every 18 months. On these occasions, astronomers study the sun's corona which is the outermost part of its atmosphere, its magnetic fields and the behaviour of Earth's atmosphere. Keep an eye on the time today and find a good spot to see the golden ring emerge.