The Solar Eclipse In Central Florida: Photos

Did you watch today’s eclipse? Today’s solar eclipse was a part of a total solar eclipse that spanned across North America, from Mexico through the U.S. to the eastern coast of Canada. In Central Florida, we experienced about 60% coverage of the sun by the moon. The eclipse began around 1:45 p.m. EST, reached its peak at around 3 p.m., and concluded at approximately 4:20 p.m. We attended the Orlando Science Center’s viewing party this afternoon.

All photography by Roberto Gonzalez

Today’s solar eclipse was a significant celestial event where the Moon aligned perfectly between the Earth and the Sun, causing temporary darkness across North America. The eclipse’s path of totality made landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast, traversed the United States from Texas to Maine, and exited North America via Newfoundland, Canada, into the Atlantic Ocean. This rare alignment allowed observers within the path of totality to experience the Moon’s shadow enveloping them, while those outside this path witnessed a partial eclipse​ (NASA Science)​​ (Canadian Space Agency)​.

This total solar eclipse was not just a visual spectacle; it offered a unique scientific opportunity to observe the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere that is usually hidden by the Sun’s brightness. Observers could see Venus and Jupiter near the eclipsed Sun, adding to the event’s celestial drama. Remarkably, the “Devil’s Comet” (Comet Pons/Brooks) might also have been visible with binoculars during the eclipse’s totality phase, provided it had a recent outburst​ (Astronomy Magazine)​.

Eclipses are a result of the precise orbital dance of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. The Moon’s shadow on Earth, the umbra, creates the path of totality for a total eclipse, while its penumbral shadow causes a partial eclipse for those outside this path. Solar eclipses occur due to the Moon’s orbit being slightly tilted relative to Earth’s, which means the alignment needed for an eclipse does not happen every month. Moreover, the distance of the Moon from Earth varies, affecting the type of eclipse observed. When the Moon is closer and covers the entire Sun, a total eclipse occurs; if it’s farther, leaving the Sun’s edges visible, an annular eclipse happens​ (NASA Science)​.