A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the Sun, perfectly blotting out its bright light. For a few minutes, the world is plunged into darkness, while the Sun’s corona – the hot plasma that forms its atmosphere – is easier to view. “It’s one of the few experiences that instantly reminds us of the miraculous fact that we’re living on a moving planet within a much larger cosmic system,” says Mitch Morales, founder of