By Kate Magill

Columbia Flier (Maryland)

The sky will darken and temperatures will drop Monday afternoon as the solar eclipse passes over the continental U.S.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, causing the moon to cast a shadow that will hit the Earth, according to NASA research scientist Michael Kirk, who specializes in solar imaging.

The moment when the moon completely covers the sun is called totality, and it puts the sky in total darkness, Kirk said. When this occurs, temperatures drop between 10 and 15 degrees, and animals are known to go quiet out of confusion over the sudden darkness. At the moment of totality, the sun’s corona — an aura of plasma that surrounds the sun — is visible from behind the moon. The corona is normally hidden from the human eye, according to Kirk.

Solar eclipses occur approximately every 18 months, but Kirk said it can take hundreds of years for an eclipse to occur again in the same spot. Often, they occur in remote places or over the ocean. When the eclipse sweeps over the continental U.S., he said it will likely be the most viewed eclipse in the history of the world because of the number of people who can easily travel to see the phenomenon.

Joel Goodman of the Howard Astronomical League in Columbia said for those who step outside to see the 94 percent eclipse, it is vital to wear certified solar viewing glasses, which are more protective than average sunglasses, because the sun’s harsh rays can cause permanent eye damage if directly viewed for too long. It’s important to note that some solar-eclipse glasses have been recalled by Amazon because of safety issues and should not be used to view the eclipse.

Goodman and several other members of the league are headed to different parts of the country to view the eclipse, including Wyoming, Idaho, Nebraska and Kentucky.

Fascination with solar eclipses dates back thousands of years. The first written account of a solar eclipse was in China in 21 B.C., and their notoriety has grown in more recent years as technology has allowed scientists to learn more about them, Kirk said.

The next U.S. solar eclipse is set to occur in 2024, according to Kirk.

“It puts in context our place in the solar system — we are on a tiny little rock in outer space,” he said. “(You) can see the awesome beauty of the sun as the eclipse passes through … one of the best things you can see with the naked eye.”