What is a solar eclipse and why do people make a big deal about it? Well, to be honest, I don’t know. The first step is to figure out which eclipse it is. There are 4 different types of eclipses: Total solar eclipse, Annular solar eclipse, Partial solar eclipse, and hybrid solar eclipse. Today on April 8, 2024, we are having a total solar eclipse. This eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth completely blocking the face of the sun. This makes it so that people located in the center of the Moon’s shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. A total eclipse is when the sky darkens almost as if it were dusk or dawn.