The great American eclipses

In a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, two solar eclipses are about to cross over the USA. Jamie Carter has the details

- Jamie Carter

Eclipses are one of nature's most mesmerising spectacles. Eclipse-chasers are often willing to fly half-way around the world to remote, hard-to-reach locations just for the chance to see the phenomenon. The coming months, however, mark a unique opportunity as not just one but two eclipses are set to cross one another over North America.

On 14 October 2023, a 'ring of fire' annular eclipse will pass across 10 countries, with a long section of the path running straight through the USA. But this will just be a warm-up to the second event 177 days later on 8 April 2024, when a total solar eclipse will pass across the USA, Mexico and Canada, with an estimated 32 million people living inside the path of totality. There's even a region in Texas - including much of San Antonio - that will see both.

This pair of eclipses will be the most accessible in decades. If you're thinking of making the journey to see either, there's no shortage of sites to pick, as they both trace long paths across the USA.