Prepare to experience one of nature’s greatest spectacles on Monday, April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will sweep across the continental United States. While totality will not be visible from the Chicago area, Triton College’s Cernan Earth and Space Center is hosting an event to safely observe 93 percent of the sun eclipsed, weather permitting. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun, according to Kris McCall, director of Triton’s Cernan Center. After this year, “the next total solar eclipse to cross the United States will not be until 2045,” added McCall. “We want everyone to witness this eclipse in 2024 instead of waiting 21 years for your next opportunity.” In preparation for the 2024 solar eclipse, Triton College’s Cernan Earth and Space Center will feature the show, ECLIPSE: The Sun Revealed, in its Planetarium starting March 1, 2024. This dramatic program explores the history and cultural views of eclipses, the unique geometry that causes eclipses, how to view a solar eclipse and shares the firsthand account of one eclipse chaser’s experiences traveling to see a total solar eclipse in another country. For information about Triton College’s Cernan Earth and Space Center, visit triton.edu/Cernan.