Diamond Ring and Baily's Beads
Totality
Partial Eclipse
First Contact
Fourth Contact
The official start of the eclipse when the Moon first “touches” the Sun as it passes between the Sun and Earth.
The Moon covers the visible surface of the Sun. The brightest light of the Sun is temporarily blocked and the solar corona becomes visible as flares emanating from the Moon’s edges.
The Moon continues to make its way between the Sun and the Earth, covering more and more of the sun.
Two features caused by shafts of sunlight shining through deep valleys in the edge of the Moon. These features can be seen as the Moon starts to completely block out the Sun, and then again as the Moon begins moving away from the Sun.
The official end of the eclipse. The Moon no longer covers any the solar disk.
