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North America witnessed two total solar eclipses in a relatively short timeframe of seven years. Not to mention that time flies, and I feel like the 2017 eclipse was just last year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) GOES-16 satellite captured both events, revealing contrasting paths of the moon's shadow as it raced across the continent. The first eclipse (check out the photos!) took a northwest-to-southeast route, stretching from Oregon all the way down to South Carolina. This marked the first time in 99 years that a total eclipse crossed the entire width of the United States. Fast forward to April 8, 2024, and another awe-inspiring sight unfolded. This time, the eclipse swept southwest to northeast, casting a shadow from Mexico up into southeastern Canada. The GOES-16 satellite documented both eclipses in detail, capturing snapshots of the moon's shadow every 5-10 minutes. Scientists used these images to create composites that reveal the dramatic differences in the paths of totality, the brief period of complete darkness when the moon fully covers the sun. The composite images showcase how the moon's shadow fell across different locations during each eclipse. NOAA also shares videos and interactive sliders allow viewers to compare the size, duration, and darkness of the shadow between the two events. The 2017 eclipse path was a narrow corridor, traversing across fourteen states - Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In contrast, the April 2024 eclipse stretched across a wider swathe, encompassing Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and several US states including Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and all the way up to Maine and southeastern Canada. Beyond the path variations, there were other key differences. The 2017 eclipse offered a maximum totality of about 2 minutes and 40 seconds, whereas the 2024 event boasted a longer period of darkness, reaching up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds. The width of the totality path also differed significantly - a mere 70 miles in 2017 compared to a substantial 115 miles in 2024. This difference is attributed to the sun's approach to a period of heightened activity later this year. In case you've missed the eclipse, plan a trip to Spain over the next three years. That's right, this country will have three solar eclipses in a row! [via Space.com; image credit: NOAA]
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