did you do your homework last night

• Rules/Help/FAQ Help/FAQ
• Members Current visitors
• Interface Language

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

• English Only

have you done/did you do your homework?

• Thread starter yuri05
• Start date Mar 28, 2014
• Mar 28, 2014

hi, i find it hard to decide which tense to use when there are no time references. for example, let's say a teacher walks in the classroom and asks his pupils:"have you done/did you do your homework?"which tense should be used in this situation? i'd use the present perfect but i'm not sure. thanks!  

Senior Member

The present perfect makes sense in that situation, but the simple past is also possible. Have you done your homework? Did you do your homework?  

owlman5 said: The present perfect makes sense in that situation, but the simple past is also possible. Have you done your homework? Did you do your homework? Click to expand...

"Have you done your homework?" This happened in the past, but somehow affects the present. "Yes." "You should give it to the teacher tomorrow." In this case, we might assume that the recently completed homework can be handed in now. The completion of the homework affects the present. "Did you do your homework?" This happened in the past. It doesn't affect the present or we don't care how it affects the present "Yes." "Why did you do so poorly on the test?" You are thinking about a past effect of doing the homework.  

Member Emeritus

• Mar 29, 2014

ChainReaction

• Sep 20, 2014

<< Moderator's note: This question has been added to a previous thread. Please scroll up and read from the top. >> Hi, I'm new here, and I have a question about something that was bothering me for quite a long time. What is the difference between the regular form of past tense, and the form 'have past_tense '? To give you the right context, what's the difference between: "Did you do your homework?" and "Have you done your homework?" << New example will need its own thread. >>  

You mean the simple past and the present perfect. Here's a good primer: http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/ppvpast.htm In short, the simple past is used when referring to a situation that is completely in the past (and thus concluded, with little to no relevance for the present situation). The present perfect (which is not a past tense) is used when referring to situations that are still happening and/or have a relevance for the present situation.  

That said, there is often little distinction between these tenses in the everyday use of the language. Using the simple past ("did you do your homework") in situations that actually call for the present perfect ("have you done your homework", because the enquirer wishes to know if the person's homework is now done) is especially common in American English. << Response to deleted question. >>  

"Did you do your homework?" and "Have you done your homework?" For example, if a child wanted to watch TV, mum or dad could say either of them but the second (the one using present perfect) is better because it emphasises that we are talking about now, today. If an investigator was asking about something before the present then the first one is correct. Teacher: On the night before you went on vacation last year, did you do your homework?  

post mod (English Only / Latin)

• Sep 21, 2014
• Mar 2, 2019

[This post and the following ones have been added to a previous thread in which the same question was asked. Please read down from the top. DonnyB - moderator]. Context: I want to ask if my son has done the homework or not Did you do your homework ? Have you done your homework ? Which tense is better and why? Do we need "the" before "homework" in the context?  

Since you live in the UK, use "have you done", since you are interested in the situation in the present. I think AmE usage is "did you do". Don't use "the" with "your". "Your homework" is the usual way of saying it.  

Thanks  

• Jun 25, 2019

A teacher gave a home assignment to his students one week ago. His students show up and say that the homework is still undone. What would they say? - We haven't done our homework. - We didn't do our home work.  

Steven David

Ivan_I said: A teacher gave a home assignment to his students one week ago. His students show up and say that the homework is still undone. What would they say? - We haven't done our homework. - We didn't do our home work. Click to expand...

Parla said: I think the teacher would use the simple past tense ("Did you do your homework?") since the reference is to work assigned the day before and it should have been done the evening before. Click to expand...

Helenejj said: What would the teacher say if the work was assigned three days ago? Click to expand...

Uncle Jack said: The present perfect indicates completion. "Have you done your homework?"asks the same question as "Is your homework complete?" Click to expand...

Helenejj said: Doesn't "Did you do your homework?" indicate that the homework is complete? Click to expand...

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

Grammar: When to Use Do, Does, and Did

3-minute read

• 12th August 2022

Verbs are essential to creating complete sentences, as they help us express physical actions ( She jumped in the puddle) , mental actions ( He thought about puppies) , and states of being ( I am hungry) .

There are several types of verbs that can each be written in different tenses, so they can be tricky to work with, especially if English isn’t your first language . We’ve put together a guide to help you use one of the most common verbs, do , in your writing . Read on below to learn more!

Action Verbs

As the name suggests, action verbs are used to express actions completed by the subject of a sentence. The base verb do is conjugated according to the tense:

1. Present Tense

In the present tense, do takes the form do or does, depending on the subject:

Consider the following examples:

We do our homework every night.

   She does her homework every night.

2. Past Tense

In the simple past tense , the base verb do takes the form did with all subjects:

   We did our homework last night.

   She did her homework last night.

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary , or helping verbs, are used with another base verb to create negative sentences, questions, or add emphasis. Here’s how do should be used as an auxiliary verb:

1. Negative Sentences

Following the same subject–verb pairings introduced above, we combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the adverb not to create negative sentences:

   We do not do our homework every night.

   She did not do her homework last night.

Note that we can combine the auxiliary and the adverb to create the contractions don’t , doesn’t , and didn’t . You simply remove the space between the two words and replace the letter o in not with an apostrophe (’).

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

Contractions are more common in conversations and informal writing and typically shouldn’t be used in formal writing (e.g., academic or business).

2. Questions

To create questions, the auxiliary is combined with the infinitive of another verb in this way: auxiliary verb + subject + infinitive verb .

●  Simple present questions:

Do they sell children’s books?

Does he speak English?

Note that the third person verb speaks isn’t spelled with the s when paired with the auxiliary to form a question.

●  Simple past questions:

Did you buy anything at the bookstore?

Did he learn how to speak English?

Note that did indicates the past tense, so the main verbs don’t also take the past tense (i.e., bought and learned ).

3. Emphasis

In positive sentences, we can also combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the main verb to emphasize that something is true:

   We do sell children’s books.

   He did learn to speak English.

Try saying these sentences aloud and adding emphasis to the auxiliary terms with your tone. It adds a dramatic effect!

Proofreading and Editing Services

Hopefully, this guide will help you feel more confident when using different forms of the verb do in your writing. If you’re still learning or want to be sure your work is error-free, our editors are ready to help. You can upload a free trial document today to learn more!

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

What is a content editor.

Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

2-minute read

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

What Is Market Research?

No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...

8 Press Release Distribution Services for Your Business

In a world where you need to stand out, press releases are key to being...

How to Get a Patent

In the United States, the US Patent and Trademarks Office issues patents. In the United...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Reported Speech

Learn how to use  reported speech in English. Reported speech is also known as  indirect speech  and is used to tell somebody else what another person said. Using  reported speech in English can sometimes be difficult for non-native speakers as we (usually) change the verbs, pronouns and specific times.

Keep reading to understand how to use reported speech and download this free English lesson!

Let’s study reported speech !

Reported speech vs. direct speech.

When we want to tell somebody else what another person said, we can use either direct speech  or  reported speech .

When we use d irect speech, we use the same words but use quotation marks, “_”. For example:

Scott said, “I am coming to work.  I will be late because there is a lot of traffic now.”

When we use r eported speech, we usually change the verbs, specific times, and pronouns. For example:

Scott said that he was coming to work.  He said that he would be late because there was a lot of traffic at that time.

How do we use reported speech ?

Since reported speech is usually talking about the past, we usually change the verbs into the past. It is always necessary to change the verbs when the action has finished or is untrue.

We do not always change the verbs.  When you are reporting an action that is still current or true, it is not necessary to change the verb tense. For example:    

How old are you?  “ I am twenty-seven years old .” She said she is twenty-seven years old.

We usually follow the rules below.  When we are reporting speech, we are usually talking about the past; therefore, we change the verbs into the past.

Reporting Questions

We use a special form when we report questions:  

WH-Questions:    

Where is + Tom’s house ?   He asked where Tom’s house + was.

Where does Tom live?  He asked where Tom lived.

Yes/No Questions:  

Does Tom live in Miami?  She asked if Tom  lived in Miami.

Is Tom happy?  She asked if Tom was happy.

Say vs. Tell

Say Something

June:  “I love English .”

June said (that) she loved English.

Tell Someone Something

June:  “I love English.”

June told me (that) she loved English.

Modal Verbs and Reported Speech

Must, might, could, would, should , and ought to stay the same in re ported   s peech .  We usually change may to might .

Infinitives and Reported Speech

Infinitives  stay the same in reported speech:

“ I am going to the store to buy milk.”  He said he was going to the store to buy milk.

We also use infinitives when reporting orders and commands, especially when using tell .

“ Do  your homework.   Don’t use a dictionary!!”  He told me to do to my homework and not to use a dictionary.

Reporting Suggestions

When we are reporting another speakers suggestions, we can use a special form with suggest, recommend, or propose .

SUGGEST/ RECOMMEND/PROPOSE   +   (*THAT)   +    SUBJECT PRONOUN   +   **V1

SUGGEST/ RECOMMEND/PROPOSE   +   V1 + ING

“I think you should visit Viscaya.”     →  He suggested we visit Viscaya.  He suggested visiting Viscaya.

“Try to get there early to get good seats.”    →   He recommended we get there early to get good seats.

*That is often omitted in speech.

**The verb is always in the base form. We do not use third person.

Reporting Statements

A reported statement  begins with an introductory clause and is followed by the ‘information’ clause.  The speaker may choose different words, but the meaning remains unchanged.  Some formal words to introduce a reported statement or response are: declared, stated, informed, responded, replied, etc.

“I don’t agree with these new rules. I am not going to accept this change!” →  He declared that he was in disagreement with the new rules and stated that he would not accept the changes.

Free English Lesson PDF Download

Reported Speech ~ Exercises and Practice

A. Change each direct speech example into the reported speech . The first one has been done for you.

• Michelle said, “I love my Chihuahua, Daisy.”

Michelle said that she loved her Chihuahua, Daisy.

2. Republicans said, “We don’t support Obama’s plan to raise taxes.”

__________________________________________________________.

3.With her mouth full, Sarah said, “I am eating mashed potatoes.”

4. John Lee said, “This year, I will not pay my taxes.”

5. Lebron said, “I am going to win the championship next year.”

6. Patty said, “I can’t stomach another hamburger. I ate one yesterday.”

B. Rewrite the sentences/questions below using reported / indirect speech . Always change the tense, even though it is not always necessary. You can use ‘said’, ‘told me’ , or ‘asked’ .

1. Sarah:   “I am in the shower right now.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. John:   “I dropped my son off at school this morning.”

3. Samuel: “I am going to the beach with my sister this afternoon.”

4. John: “Jessica will call you later.”

5. The girls: “Who does John live with?”

6. Our classmate: “Did we have any homework last night?”

7. Sarah: “I am moving to Tokyo because I want to learn Japanese.”

8. John: “Why do you have an umbrella?”

9. The students: “Our teacher can’t find her books anywhere.”

10. Sarah and Jillian: “Is John British?”

11. Steve: “I’m going to the beach so that I can play volleyball.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

12. Ann: “Where is the bathroom?”

13. My parents: “What are you going to do with your life?”

14. Sarah: “I ate breakfast before I came to school.”

C. Your friend Megan is very nosy (she always wants to know what’s going on) so she constantly asks questions about your life and the lives of your friends. Rewrite her questions using the reported questions form. The first one has been done for you .

1. Why do you date Ryan?

She asked me why I dated Ryan.

2. How much money do you make at your new job?

________________________________________________________________________________

3. Does Ryan think I’m pretty?

4. Where is your favorite restaurant?

5. Do I look good in these jeans?

6. Can I borrow some twenty bucks?

D. Your American grandfather is telling you about how things used to be. Using the reported speech , tell your friends what he said.

“In the 1930s, people were very poor. They ate watery soup and hard bread. Many people lost their jobs. To make matters worse, a horrible drought ruined most of the farmland in the American midwest. People went to California to look for a better life. They picked strawberries in the hot California sun.”

Did you download this lesson? If not, don’t forget to download this free English lesson.

If you have any questions about English grammar, please contact us via email us or just comment below. I hope this lesson helped you understand how to use reported speech in English.

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter! #TurnYourLanguageOn

Do you need to improve your English? See the locations of our english language schools in the United States.

Proud partners with National Geographic Learning

Privacy Overview

• 📝 VOCABULARY
• 🚀 GAMES/ACTIVITIES

Simple Past Tense (Did) – With Explanations Pictures and Exercises

Simple past tense (past simple tense) is a verb tense that describes completed actions or past habits before now. It is also used to talk about a series of events in the past. “Did” is the helping verb of simple past tense. For affirmative (positive) sentences we use past simple form of a verb.

Table of Contents

⬤ Formation of simple past tense

⬤ which auxiliary (helping verb) to use for simple past tense, ⬤ positive (affirmative) sentences, ⬤ negative sentences, ⬤ interrogative sentences, ⬤ sentence forms in simple past tense, ⬤ what are the regular verbs, ⬤ what are the irregular verbs, ⬤ explanations and usages of simple past tense.

• ⬤Using “was”, “were” to talk about past states.

⬤ What are the time expressions in simple past tense?

⬤ time adverbs exercise, ⬤ images and example sentences, ⬤ a conversation example, ⬤ translate these sentences, ⬤ sentence scramble game, ⬤ example sentences about simple past tense, ⬤ questions and with answers.

For affirmative sentences we use the formation of “verb + ed” . For negative sentences and questions we use the auxiliary “did” or “did not”. See the chart below to learn the structure of simple past tense.

Examples with Pictures Dialogue exercise Sentence scramble game Translation exercise

The auxiliary verb in simple past tense is “ did “. However we use “ was-were ” to talk about a state in the past. Examples:

• I walked in the park.
• I didn’t walk in the park.
• Did you walk in the park?
• I was in the park.
• I wasn’t in the park.
• Were you in the park?

For the formation of positive sentences in simple past tense we add “ -ed “, “ -ied ” or just “ -d ” to the verb. We do not use “ did ” for the positive sentences.

• I asked a question.
• She studied maths.
• She cleaned her room.
• Jack repaired the car last week.
• A traffic accident happened yesterday.

For the formation of negative sentences in simple past tense we use “ not ” together with “ did “. The short form is “ didn’t ”

• He did not want tea.
• We didn’t wait for the bus.
• I didn’t use your pen.
• Susan didn’t lie.

For the formation of question sentences (interrogative) in simple past tense we put “ did ” before the subject.

• Did you enjoy your holiday.
• Did she write an email.
• Where did Yuto go?
• What did Ali want?

Regular verbs are the verbs that gets “ -ed “, “ -ied ” or “ -d ” for the the past simple forms.

Irregular verbs are the verbs which don’t get “ -ed “, “ -ied ” or “ -d ” to form past simple form or past participle form. There are a number of irregular verbs which needs to be memorized. Because the formation has no standard rule. Some verbs have the same form as bare form, past simple form or past participle form. For example “cut, put, let, hit”.

• (+) I  visit ed  my uncle. 
• (-) I  didn’t visit  my uncle yesterday. 
• (?) Did you visit your uncle yesterday? 
• (+) They found the cat.
• (-) They didn’t find the cat.
• (?) Did they find the cat?

SIMILAR PAGES: ❯❯ Learn verb to be here ❯❯ Learn simple present tense here ❯❯ Learn present continuous tense here ❯❯ Learn future simple tense (will) here ❯❯ Learn be going to future tense here ❯❯ Learn past continuous tense here ❯❯ Learn present perfect tense here

Let’s go on with the explanations, usages and time adverbs of simple past tense:

⬤ 1- Finished actions in the past

Simple Past Tense is used to describe a finished action in a specific time in the past. Examples: I  watched  a film yesterday.  I  did n’t watch a film yesterday.  Last year, I  traveled  to Italy.  Last year, I  did n’t travel to Italy.  She  washed  her hands.  She  did n’t wash her hands.  I bought a hat yesterday. Did you like your cake? Where did you go? What did Ethan say? How did she get 100 points in the exam?

⬤ 2- A series of finished actions.

Simple Past Tense is also used to describe past actions that happen one after the other. The series of actions are all expressed in simple past tense. Examples: I  went out,  walked  to the park, and  watched  the sky silently.

He  arrived  from the airport at 11:00,  looked  for someone to ask the way, and called  a taxi.

⬤ 3- Past habits

We can also use simple past tense to talk about habits in the past. Examples: I  always played  basketball when I was a child. He  often played  the guitar. They never  went  to school, they always  skipped . She  worked  at the hospital after school.

⬤ Using “was”, “were” to talk about past states.

If you want to talk about a past state or condition we use “was, were”. The negative form is “was not, were not” or “wasn’t weren’t”. To make questions we use “was/were” before the subject.

⬤ I lived in London. ⬤ I was in London.

Examples (did) Sally worked at the hospital. Sally didn’t work at the hospital. Did Sally work at the hospital? Where did Sally work?

Examples (was-were) Sally was at the hospital. Sally wasn’t at the hospital. Was Sally at the hospital? Where was Sally?

⬤ yesterday   I went to the cinema yesterday.  ⬤ last  week, last  year, last  Sunday, last month etc. He bought a car last week.  ⬤ two years ago , four days ago , three minutes  ago etc. I saw her five minutes ago. ⬤ in 1995, in 2003 etc. I had an accident in 2014.

You can see the simple past tense time adverbs below. Click on the cards and tell the meaning of them in your native language..

You can learn simple past tense with images and example sentences below.

Here is a dialogue to learn simple past tense. You can make similar conversations.

Did you win the match yesterday?

Yes, we did.

How was the game?

I don’t know.

What do you mean?

Didn’t you play?

Actually I didn’t.

I had a traffic accident

so I spent the night at a hospital.

We won the match.

My teammates dedicated the goals to me.

Well. Your team needs you. Get well soon.

You will see random examples of simple past tense below. Try to translate them into your own language.

You will see scrambled words of simple past tense sentences. Click on them in order to make a sentence.

You can see many sentences below to learn simple past tense.

➔ 10 examples of about simple past tense

• I listened to the new pop album yesterday. It’s great.
• She liked the film but she didn’t like the music.
• There was a problem with the plug.
• I was happy to see her with a smile in her face.
• Her parents travelled by train from Istanbul to Moscow.
• I phoned you four times last night but you were out.
• There were many workers waiting outside.
• We walked along the beach yesterday. It was lovely.
• I had a problem. So I asked to my mother about it.
• Last week I was in Paris. I stayed in a hotel.

Read the questions and the answers below to learn how to use about simple past tense.

➔ 10 questions and answers about simple past tense

• Did you like the film? Yes, I liked it very much.
• Did they give her a present after the ceremony? Yes, they gave her a new camera.
• When did you start playing the guitar? I started playing the guitar when I was nine.
• Was there a guard at the door? No. They let us in.
• When did you leave school? I left school when I was sixteen.
• Who invented the radio? Guglielmo Marconi invented it.
• When did you give your first concert? We gave our first concert in a wedding in Liverpool.
• How many sandwiches did he eat? He ate 3 sandwiches.
• Were you with Sally when she had an accident? Yes, I was.
• What did she do with the book? She sat on a bench and started reading.

External resources: You can go to British Council page and study simple past tense , or watch a video from the popular movies about past simple tense .

related pages

Fill in the blanks quiz for simple past tense, sentence scramble game for simple past tense, accessories vocabulary 👓 exercises pictures audio, body parts in english 👨 with games and listed images, classroom objects vocabulary in english 📕 with games, clothes vocabulary in english 👕 learn with images and flashcards, colour names in english 🎈 with tests and images, computer parts (hardware) vocabulary: pictures audio, verb to be (am, is, are) – with examples and online exercises, modal “can” – with explanations exercises and activities, present continuous tense – with usage examples and pictures, simple present tense (do-does) – with usage, pictures and example sentences.

© www.english-learn-online.com     All right reserved You can write us any mistakes or read our about page or see our privacy policy .

• Grammar and vocabulary
• Grammar practice

Past simple - questions

Do you want to practise using past simple questions in English?

• Read about the grammar.
• Play the games to help you practise.
• Print the activity sheet for more practice.
• Remember to leave a comment!

Past simple – questions

We can use past simple questions to ask about the past.

Did you have fun with your friends yesterday? Where did she go for her last holiday? What did they watch on TV last night?

How to use them

Use did and the verb, but don't change the verb to the past form.

Did you have a nice weekend? What did he learn at school yesterday? When did they see the film?

We usually add time words at the end.

Did they play a game yesterday ? Did you visit LearnEnglish Kids last week ? What did he have for dinner last night ?

We make yes or no answers with did or didn't .

Did you finish your homework? Yes, I did . Did your friend call you yesterday? No, she didn't .

We use did to ask question about the past. Here, I'll give example. We'll say "what did you eat for dinner last night?" We don't say "what did you ate for dinner last night?" I score 100 in the game!

• Log in or register to post comments

Hi, i cannot find the material about past tense question using to be verb

Hi MasterTiger1000, The explanation and exercises for Past simple - verb 'to be' are here: https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/grammar-vocabulary/grammar-… I hope that helps.

Best wishes, MissInternetEarth LearnEnglish Kids team

English courses for children aged 6-17

Sign up to our newsletter for free learning tips and resources

We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.

Reported Speech Exercise 2

Perfect english grammar.

• Review reported questions here
• Download this quiz in PDF here
• More reported speech exercises here

Hello! I'm Seonaid! I'm here to help you understand grammar and speak correct, fluent English.

Read more about our learning method

No videos yet!

Click on "Watch later" to put videos here

Practice Past Tense – Answering ‘What did you do last night?’

A very common question that pops up in an English casual conversation is ‘What did you do last night?’ This question is about the last night and you need to answer it in the past tense. Learn some interesting English phrases and expressions that you could use to talk about how did you spend your last night. Your English teacher Michelle teaches you questions related to different situations and how to answer them correctly in English. It’s always better to learn English based on situations as it helps you to remember phrases and vocabulary that you could use in a specific situation. So sit tight, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the lesson. Let us know in the comments about your last night. Thanks for watching, keep learning.

Complete Lesson Transcript –

How was your last night? Do you remember something or were you too drunk to remember anything about your last night? Did you go out clubbing or were you working on a boring project? Do you wanna ask your friends what they did last night? In this lesson with me Michelle, you’re learning some different ways to ask questions about last night.

So here on the board, we have some interesting phrases that you can use to talk about last night to your friends but they are all used in different situations. and I’m gonna tell you that which phrase can you use in which situation but before we do that, what is the difference between last evening and last night? Have you thought of it? Doesn’t it sound similar? Can you use them interchangeably? Um… okay so I’ll give you a situation. So you are going to an after work party and when you join the event, when you just enter and you greet your friends, do you say good night? No, you say good evening. Well when you leave the event, you say good night. So last night is actually used to talk about a later time in the day means just towards the end of the day but if you talk about last evening, it’s used to talk about a time earlier than last night. So last night would be used to talk about a later time in the day. Alright, now let’s look at some of the phrases.

What did you do last night? So I think it’s a very general question. You can ask that to anyone. You know obviously it should be a friend or you can’t ask that to your boss, what did you do last night? So probably your friend or somebody you know, you could ask them and a possible response you could hear is, may be, I was working on a project or I was with the kids. I was feeding my cat, it could be anything. So you can expect a very general response to what did you do last night? Because it’s a very, very general question. Okay, now let’s look at the next question.

Did you do anything last night? So, this word anything makes the question more specific than the first question. So this talks about a specific thing that you expect the other person to do, the last night. So maybe you meet your friend on a Saturday morning and of course, you expect them to do something special on a Friday night cause Saturday is off and thank God it’s Friday. So, you can ask them, did you do anything last night? So may be your friend might say, yeah, I went clubbing. So this is a specific question. With that, we move to the next question.

Did you go out last night? So this is used more to talk about a party, like the previous question and it can be a follow-up question. May be like, did you go, did you do anything last night? So your friend could say, yeah I went, I went somewhere and you could be, did you go out last night? Where did you go? So your friend might say, he went clubbing. Or another question after this could be, did you have a fun time at the club? And your friend could say, yes I had a nice time. We had fun, we were all drunk and I can barely remember anything about last night. So these are two questions that you can use in the context of a party or a night out, for a party or a night out.

Great, so let’s look at the next question. What did you get up to last night? So get up, as you know is a phrasal verb which has a verb and a preposition. So get up here does not mean to get up but it means to be awake at something that you’re doing something. So you stay up for it or you stay awake for it. To stay awake. Alright, so what did you stay awake to last night? So, you could ask this to your friend at work or may be your colleague at work. You see him in the morning and he has bags under his eyes, really puffy eyes and he looks kinds lousy with his all his filthy messed up hair and you’re like, okay. So, he possibly was doing something last night. So, you could ask him, what did you get up to last night? And your friend might say, I got a phone call from my ex and we got into a conversation and I was up till 6 am and after that I couldn’t just get any sleep.

Okay with that, we look at the next question. What were you up to last night? So, here we do not have this word, get up. It’s only up to and this is actually like an idiom, what were you up to last night? It talks about a hidden meaning. So this meaning is more like, your father sees you waking up at 2 pm and he sees you and you’re up and still kind of drowsy and he asks you, what were you up to last night? More like what were you doing last night? So up to here means doing. So what were you doing last night? And you could be like, okay you obviously wanna hide from him what were you really doing. So you could say, oh daddy, I was studying. I know you weren’t and he’s also smart enough to know that you weren’t studying.

Okay, let’s look at the next question. How was last night? Do anything? So let’s say, you have an exam the next morning and you and your friend have not prepared for it and you both know that you haven’t prepared for it and you see each other. The first question that your friend asks you in the morning is, how was last night? Do anything? Means did you prepare? So this is also a very specific question because we have the word anything like this one and here also anything. So here it’s specific in a different way and here it’s talking about something that you think your friend might have done. So here it’s talking about a party. You think your friend may have gone to a party. Here it’s specific because you’re asking your friend if they studied last night.

With that, we look at the next question, probably the last question. Do anything special last night? So this is kinda naughty and it has a double meaning. So you’re asking your friend that okay, did something romantic happen at the date? Happened at the date? So may be your friend went out on a date and you were expecting him to propose this girl that he went out with. So you’re asking him, oh do anything special last night? And your friend could be, yeah I finally proposed to her. So this could be for a romantic meaning.

Here you have some very interesting questions to talk about last night. So don’t wait, go and talk about it to your friends and have a great time. I’ll see you again in the next lesson. This is Michelle signing off, bye.

You may also like

✋ avoid saying – ‘same to you’ | 20 better responses to happy new year wishes| english phrases.

What do you say when someone wishes you – Happy New Year, Same to you, isn’t that true? Well it’s an over used English phrases. In this English lesson...

Don’t Say – Happy New Year | Learn Unique Greetings For New Year Messages | Romatic, Formal & Informal

Saying ‘Happy New Year’ is just so boring. In this Lesson, I will teach you unique New Year messages that you could send to your partner, boss, friends and family. I...

14 Other Ways To Say THANK YOU 🙏 In English | Improve Your English Speaking

In this Short English Lesson, you will learn 14 other ways to say Thank you In English. Thank you- is correct when someone help you, but an overused English phrases...

10 Social English Expressions Commonly Used By Fluent English Speakers! You Will Simply ❤️ Them!

Why is my English different from Fluent English speakers? Well, the answer is simple – They use English expressions and phrases that possibly your English text...

Add comment

Cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Stay Tuned!

Quick tips & tricks, 5 job interview questions & answers that fail you., how to improve english through listening 5 tips for better english listening skills.

• Most answers
• No selected answer
• No upvoted answer
• Ask a question
• Post a note
• Register Login Remember

Past simple or past continuous?

Please log in or register to add a comment.

The first one is more natural if you are referring to an action that was in progress at 8 o'clock. But it is not possible to omit the subject in English, pronoun " I " in this case.

If you are referring to an action that was concluded before 8 o'clock, you should use Past Perfect and a different preposition, " by 8 o'clock" in this case.

E.g.: I had finished my homework by 8 o'clock last night.

Both sentences are syntactically incorrect, i.e. the word order is not respected. 

You have two options: 1) to use a comma for emphasis: At 8 o'clock last night , I was doing my homework; 2) to put the whole adverbial phrase after the object: I was doing my homework at 8 o'clock last night .

Your answer

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on Facebook

Related questions

• When can you use present continuous? Difference between the present simple and the present continuous.
• What's the difference between 'Present Perfect Simple Tense' and 'Present Perfect Continuous Tense?
• when should i use past perfect and past simple?
• What's the difference when you use past simple and present perfect?
• Could someone give me examples about Past,Present and Future Perfect Continuous?

Latest Questions

Cpelle asked.

I need some english lessons

ahmad4altamimi asked

Speak english

Jasmins96 asked

Wegen viel Arbeit oder wegen vieler Arbeit?

Jahangir Alom asked

English speaking practice

The difference between "has + been + p.p" and "had + been + p.p"

LanguageLearningBase.com ( short: llb.re ) is an online community for learning foreign languages. It represents an open knowledge base. Every member can share and gain knowledge about a new language. Read more -->

A : __________ you doing your homework at six o’clock last night? B: Yes,I ___.

A. Was / weren’t

B. Were / wasn’t

C. Was / were

D. Were / was

Select your answer:          

Next Quiz >

Other quiz:

Simple Past Tense

You … (not/be) athlete.

B. didn’t

C. were not

Complete the sentence: “Did you ______ the latest Johnny Depp movie?”

A. Watched B. Seen C. Watch D. Saw

How to use : Read the question carefully, then select one of the answers button.

GrammarQuiz.Net - Improve your knowledge of English grammar, the best way to kill your free time.

Did you do your homework last night?

• Pronunciation

THE BEST SPANISH-ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Get more than a translation, written by experts, translate with confidence, spanish and english example sentences, examples for everything, regional translations, say it like a local.

Making educational experiences better for everyone.

Immersive learning for 25 languages

Marketplace for millions of educator-created resources

Fast, easy, reliable language certification

Fun educational games for kids

Comprehensive K-12 personalized learning

Trusted tutors for 300+ subjects

35,000+ worksheets, games, and lesson plans

Adaptive learning for English vocabulary

What Did You Do Last Night? (Regular Verbs)

Basic Grammar Sentences

The aim of this lesson is to introduce students to the simple past.

did you do your homework last night?

Add your answer:

Past progressive tense for sleep?

was/were sleepingI was sleeping soundly last night when the phone rang.

Why didn't Klutz do any homework on Saturday?

he was in homework condition

What are the benefits of having a study hall?

The benefits of having a study hall are you have more time to get your homework done. If you didnt feel like doing it the night before. You can always do it in study hall and get help from the teachers.

Do kids in North Korea get homework?

Kids that go to school get homework, but only a small percentage of North Koreans actually go to school.

What is the definition of the word preoccupied?

Preoccupied is the state of being engrossed in something.Preoccupied with homework means the person was busy with homework and unable to think or do anything else.

What is an example of a metaphor for you had a lot of homework last night?

"My homework last night was like Hercules' assignment to clean the Augean Stables".

IS did is a verb?

Did is a verb. It is the past tense of do.I do my homework every night.I did my homework last night.

Is 'Did you do your homework last night' an interrogative?

Yes, it is asking a question.

How do you use show in a imperative sentence?

Show me your homework from last night.

What is a sentence with conversation?

I had a conversation with my friend over last night's homework.

Who and when do we use does do and did?

Do and does are present tense and did is past tense.Use do when the subject is I or a plural nounegI do my homework. The boys do their homework. -- 'The boys' is a plural subject.Use does for when he/she/it or a singular noun is the subject egShe does her homework. The boy does his homework. -- 'The boy' is a singular noun.Use did for all subjects - singular or plural - if you are writing about something in the past egI did my homework last night.The boys did their homework yesterday.She did her homework last week.The boy did his homework last night.

A sentence with the word oaf?

Vincent's teacher called him oaf because he did not study or do homework last night.

How use luckily in a sentence?

I didn't finish my homework last night, but luckily I have a study hall, so I can finish it.

How do you think white felt when john sailed back?

(john white felt aboandoned)i had this question for homework last night

What to say when emailing your teacher your homework?

Dear Mr./Mrs.______, I may be absent to school tomorrow so I want to know if I can send you last night's (or whenever) homework. This was the home work on... (Attach picture of homework or just send homework here) Thank You Very Much, (Your Name)

Around 800 bc Greece colonized the islands and coastline of what?

The Aegean Sea. That question was on my Social Studies homework last night.

Is did singular?

"Did" can be used with either a singular or plural subject.Examples:"I did the homework last night." - singular subject"We did the homework last night." - plural subjectNo. Even though the instrument itself is one unit, it is actually a pair of tongs or pincers. Just like scissors is also a plural word because it is a pair of cutters working together.

Top Categories

Did you do your homework last night?

• Diccionario
• Pronunciación

Haciendo que las experiencias educativas sean mejores para todos.

Aprendizaje de inmersión para 25 lenguas

Un mercado de millones de recursos creados por educadores

Certificación de lengua rápida, fácil y fiable

Juegos educativos divertidos para niños

Aprendizaje personalizado exhaustivo para la educación K-12

Tutores de confianza para más de 300 materias

Más de 35,000 hojas de ejercicios, juegos y planes de clase

Aprendizaje adaptativo para el vocabulario de inglés

Powerball drawing for Saturday, April 6, 2024 held after lengthy delay. Check your tickets

Check your powerball tickets to see if you won saturday's $1.3 billion jackpot.

UPDATE: Powerball $1.326 billion jackpot won in Oregon after drawing delayed over three hours

The Powerball drawing was finally held early Sunday after a lengthy delay waiting for one lottery jurisdiction "to complete required pre-draw procedures."

Scheduled to be held at 10:59 p.m. Saturday, the drawing was finally held at 2:29 a.m. Sunday at the Florida Lottery draw studio. There's more on the delay below.

The lottery jackpot was an estimated $1.3 billion with a cash option of $608.9 million for Saturday night's drawing, according to the Powerball website . 

It is the fourth largest Powerball jackpot ever and the eighth largest in U.S. lottery history (see lists below).

The jackpot was last won on Jan. 1 when a lottery player in Michigan won the $842.4 million jackpot.

What are the 4/6/24 winning Powerball numbers?

Here are the Powerball winning numbers for Saturday, April 6, 2024:

22 - 27 - 44 - 52 - 69 and Powerball 9

Powerplay was 3x

Looking for an edge? These are the luckiest Powerball numbers

Why was the drawing delayed?

At 11:05 p.m., the Powerball posted on its website: "Tonight, we have one participating lottery that needs additional time to complete required pre-draw procedures, which have been enacted to protect the security and integrity of the Powerball game.

"Powerball game rules require that every single ticket sold nationwide be checked and verified against two different computer systems before the winning numbers are drawn. This is done to ensure that every ticket sold for the Powerball drawing has been accounted for and has an equal chance to win. Tonight, we have one jurisdiction that needs extra time to complete that pre-draw process."

At 1:05 a.m., the following update was posted on its website: "We continue to have one lottery that is in the process of completing the required pre-draw procedures. ... While a delay to tonight’s Powerball drawing is unfortunate, it means participating lotteries are following the game rules enacted to protect the integrity of the game. Every single ticket bought for Saturday’s Powerball drawing will be accounted for before the winning numbers are drawn."

When is the next Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are held three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Monday drawings were added in 2021.

More: Here's a look back at all 15 Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots won in 2023

How late can I buy Powerball tickets?

The deadline for purchasing Powerball ticket varies by state so don't wait until the last minute. The deadline in New Jersey is 9:59 p.m. on the day of the drawing, while New York's deadline is 10 p.m.

Click here is a complete list of Powerball ticket deadline times by state or jurisdiction.

Location, location, location: These are the states with the most Powerball jackpot winners

How do I play Powerball?

The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Power Play for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot and Match 5). There is also a 10x Power Play possibility when the jackpot is less than $150 million.

Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a quick pick ticket with random numbers for you.

Prizes vary from $4 for the matching the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California) to the jackpot for matching all six balls. You can  check all the prize payouts on the Powerball website here.

Beware: No, a lottery jackpot winner isn't giving you money. How to spot a scammer

Where is the Powerball available?

You can play the game in 45 states plus the Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

More: What would you do if you won the Powerball lottery? Survey answers might surprise you

Where can you buy lottery tickets?  

Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets. 

You can also order tickets online through  Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network , in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.  

Winner: New Jersey grandmother of 10 planning Disney trip after winning $1 million in Powerball

How can I watch Powerball drawing?

The Powerball drawing is broadcast live on the lottery website at 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. You can watch the drawing by clicking here.

The drawing may be broadcast on a local television station in your market as well.

What are my odds of winning?

Playing the Powerball can be exciting, but just don't go spending those millions before you win.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 292,201,338-to-1.

The odds to match all five white balls are 11,688,053-to-1.

Unlucky?  Here are 13 crazy things more likely to happen than winning the lottery

Lump sum or annuity?

The major lotteries in the United States offer two jackpot payout options: annuity and cash.

The annuity option is paid out over time. There is an immediate payment and then 29 annual payments after that, increasing by 5% each year.

The cash option is significantly lower than the advertised jackpot, but it is paid in a lump sum. You don't have to wait decades for all the money.

Can I win jackpot and remain anonymous?

In some states, like New Jersey, you can win a lottery anonymously. That wasn't always the case, but now winners are able to stay anonymous under a law that was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy .  

In other states, a winner's name and hometown are a matter of public record. Check with your state lottery for more information.

Top 10 largest Powerball jackpots

Here are the Top 10 jackpots since  the Powerball lottery began in 1992:

• $2.04 billion,  Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California
• $1.765 billion,  Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California
• $1.586 billion, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
• $1.30 billion, April 6, 2024:
• $1.08 billion,  July 19, 2023: Won in California
• $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024: Won in Michigan
• $768.4 million,  March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
• $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
• $754.6 million,  Feb. 6, 2023: Won in Washington
• $731.1 million,  Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland

What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?

Here's a look at the top jackpots won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:

• $2.04 billion, Powerball , Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California
• $1.765 billion, Powerball,  Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California
• $1.602 billion,  Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
• $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
• $1.537 billion, Mega Millions,  Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
• $1.348 billion,  Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2022: Won in Maine
• $1.337 billion, Mega Millions,  July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois
• $1.30 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024:
• $1.128 billion, Mega Millions , March 26, 2024: Won in New Jersey
• $1.08 billion, Powerball , July 19, 2023: Won in California
• $1.05 billion, Mega Millions,  Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
• $842.4 million, Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024: Won in Michigan
• $768.4 million, Powerball,  March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
• $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
• $754.6 million, Powerball:  Feb. 6, 2023: Won in Washington
• $731.1 million,, Powerball,  Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland
• $699.8 million, Powerball,  Oct. 4, 2021: Won in California
• $687.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 27, 2018: Two winners in Iowa, New York
• $656 million, Mega Millions, March 30, 2012: Three winners in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland 
• $648 million, Mega Millions, Dec. 17, 2013: Two winners in California, Georgia

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit  jackpocket.com/tos  for full terms and conditions.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Solar eclipse 2024: Follow the path of totality

Solar eclipse, worried about eclipse damage to your eyes don't panic.

Geoff Brumfiel

Nell Greenfieldboyce

Junior Espejo looks through eclipse glasses being handed out by NASA in Houlton, Maine. Used correctly, eclipse glasses prevent eye damage. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

Junior Espejo looks through eclipse glasses being handed out by NASA in Houlton, Maine. Used correctly, eclipse glasses prevent eye damage.

Tens of millions of Americans will have spent the day staring at a total solar eclipse, and at least a few of them may become worried that they inadvertently damaged their eyes.

But experts say there's no need to panic — the vast majority of eclipse viewers are probably fine. And even if somebody did strain their eyes, the effects could be temporary.

During the 2017 total solar eclipse it's estimated that 150 million Americans viewed the event. There were around 100 documented cases of eye damage across all of America and Canada, according to Ralph Chou, an expert on eclipse eye safety with the University of Waterloo in Canada.

Far more people turned up in emergency rooms worried that they'd damaged their eyes. Many complained of watery eyes or blurred vision, but in most cases they were fine, according to Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, one of the largest eye hospitals in the nation.

The reason it's hard to do real damage is simple — the human eye has evolved to avoid staring directly at the sun.

"It's so bright that we're not actually capable of looking at it without either tearing or sort of not really feeling comfortable staring at this ball of light," Deobhakta says.

Shots - Health News

Here's what it looks like when you fry your eye in an eclipse.

In the rare case that someone does damage their eyes, that damage usually shows up as a blurry spot in the field of vision , hours or up to a day after watching the eclipse. In about half of cases, the problem fixes itself, but permanent damage can sometimes occur.

Anticipating the post-eclipse ocular anxiety, at least one eye clinic in Buffalo, N.Y., is offering free eye checks immediately after the eclipse on April 8.

It's always a good idea to get your eyes checked, whether or not there's an eclipse. So if you're worried at all, go ahead and use the opportunity to schedule your annual exam.

• eclipse eye damage
• 2024 eclipse

25 Questions (and Answers!) About the Great North American Eclipse

The McDonald Observatory’s guide to one of nature’s most beautiful and astounding events: What you might see, how to view it safely, how astronomers will study it, how animals might react, and some of the mythology and superstitions about the Sun’s great disappearing act.

1. What’s happening?

The Moon will cross directly between Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking the Sun from view along a narrow path across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Viewers across the rest of the United States will see a partial eclipse, with the Moon covering only part of the Sun’s disk.

2. When will it happen?

The eclipse takes place on April 8. It will get underway at 10:42 a.m. CDT, when the Moon’s shadow first touches Earth’s surface, creating a partial eclipse. The Big Show—totality—begins at about 11:39 a.m., over the south-central Pacific Ocean. The shadow will first touch North America an hour and a half later, on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Moving at more than 1,600 miles (2,575 km) per hour, the path of totality will enter the United States at Eagle Pass, Texas, at 1:27 p.m. CDT. The lunar shadow will exit the United States and enter the Canadian province of New Brunswick near Houlton, Maine, at 2:35 p.m. (3:35 p.m. EDT).

3. How long will totality last?

The exact timing depends on your location. The maximum length is 4 minutes, 27 seconds near Torreon, Mexico. In the United States, several towns in southwestern Texas will see 4 minutes, 24 seconds of totality. The closer a location is to the centerline of the path of totality, the longer the eclipse will last.

4. What will it look like?

Eclipse veterans say there’s nothing quite like a total solar eclipse. In the last moments before the Sun disappears behind the Moon, bits of sunlight filter through the lunar mountains and canyons, forming bright points of light known as Baily’s beads. The last of the beads provides a brief blaze known as a diamond ring effect. When it fades away, the sky turns dark and the corona comes into view— million-degree plasma expelled from the Sun’s surface. It forms silvery filaments that radiate away from the Sun. Solar prominences, which are fountains of gas from the surface, form smaller, redder streamers on the rim of the Sun’s disk.

5. What safety precautions do I need to take?

It’s perfectly safe to look at the total phase of the eclipse with your eyes alone. In fact, experts say it’s the best way to enjoy the spectacle. The corona, which surrounds the intervening Moon with silvery tendrils of light, is only about as bright as a full Moon.

During the partial phases of the eclipse, however, including the final moments before and first moments after totality, your eyes need protection from the Sun’s blinding light. Even a 99-percent-eclipsed Sun is thousands of times brighter than a full Moon, so even a tiny sliver of direct sunlight can be dangerous!

To stay safe, use commercially available eclipse viewers, which can look like eyeglasses or can be embedded in a flat sheet that you hold in front of your face. Make sure your viewer meets the proper safety standards, and inspect it before you use it to make sure there are no scratches to let in unfiltered sunlight.

You also can view the eclipse through a piece of welder’s glass (No. 14 or darker), or stand under a leafy tree and look at the ground; the gaps between leaves act as lenses, projecting a view of the eclipse on the ground. With an especially leafy tree you can see hundreds of images of the eclipse at once. (You can also use a colander or similar piece of gear to create the same effect.)

One final mode of eclipse watching is with a pinhole camera. You can make one by poking a small hole in an index card, file folder, or piece of stiff cardboard. Let the Sun shine through the hole onto the ground or a piece of paper, but don’t look at the Sun through the hole! The hole projects an image of the eclipsed Sun, allowing you to follow the entire sequence, from the moment of first contact through the Moon’s disappearance hours later.

6. Where can I see the eclipse?

In the United States, the path of totality will extend from Eagle Pass, Texas, to Houlton, Maine. It will cross 15 states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Tennessee, and Michigan (although it barely nicks the last two).

In Texas, the eclipse will darken the sky over Austin, Waco, and Dallas—the most populous city in the path, where totality (the period when the Sun is totally eclipsed) will last 3 minutes, 51 seconds.

Other large cities along the path include Little Rock; Indianapolis; Dayton, Toledo, and Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; Buffalo and Rochester, New York; and Burlington, Vermont.

Outside the path of totality, American skywatchers will see a partial eclipse, in which the Sun covers only part of the Sun’s disk. The sky will grow dusky and the air will get cooler, but the partially eclipsed Sun is still too bright to look at without proper eye protection. The closer to the path of totality, the greater the extent of the eclipse. From Memphis and Nashville, for example, the Moon will cover more than 95 percent of the Sun’s disk. From Denver and Phoenix, it’s about 65 percent. And for the unlucky skywatchers in Seattle, far to the northwest of the eclipse centerline, it’s a meager 20 percent.

The total eclipse path also crosses Mexico, from the Pacific coast, at Mazatlán, to the Texas border. It also crosses a small portion of Canada, barely including Hamilton, Ontario. Eclipse Details for Locations Around the United States • aa.usno.navy.mil/data/Eclipse2024 • eclipse.aas.org • GreatAmericanEclipse.com

7. What causes solar eclipses?

These awe-inspiring spectacles are the result of a pleasant celestial coincidence: The Sun and Moon appear almost exactly the same size in Earth’s sky. The Sun is actually about 400 times wider than the Moon but it’s also about 400 times farther, so when the new Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun—an alignment known as syzygy—it can cover the Sun’s disk, blocking it from view.

8. Why don’t we see an eclipse at every new Moon?

The Moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted a bit with respect to the Sun’s path across the sky, known as the ecliptic. Because of that angle, the Moon passes north or south of the Sun most months, so there’s no eclipse. When the geometry is just right, however, the Moon casts its shadow on Earth’s surface, creating a solar eclipse. Not all eclipses are total. The Moon’s distance from Earth varies a bit, as does Earth’s distance from the Sun. If the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun when the Moon is at its farthest, we see an annular eclipse, in which a ring of sunlight encircles the Moon. Regardless of the distance, if the SunMoon-Earth alignment is off by a small amount, the Moon can cover only a portion of the Sun’s disk, creating a partial eclipse.

9. How often do solar eclipses happen?

Earth sees as least two solar eclipses per year, and, rarely, as many as five. Only three eclipses per two years are total. In addition, total eclipses are visible only along narrow paths. According to Belgian astronomer Jean Meuss, who specializes in calculating such things, any given place on Earth will see a total solar eclipse, on average, once every 375 years. That number is averaged over many centuries, so the exact gap varies. It might be centuries between succeeding eclipses, or it might be only a few years. A small region of Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky, close to the southeast of St. Louis, for example, saw the total eclipse of 2017 and will experience this year’s eclipse as well. Overall, though, you don’t want to wait for a total eclipse to come to you. If you have a chance to travel to an eclipse path, take it!

10. What is the limit for the length of totality?

Astronomers have calculated the length of totality for eclipses thousands of years into the future. Their calculations show that the greatest extent of totality will come during the eclipse of July 16, 2186, at 7 minutes, 29 seconds, in the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of South America. The eclipse will occur when the Moon is near its closest point to Earth, so it appears largest in the sky, and Earth is near its farthest point from the Sun, so the Sun appears smaller than average. That eclipse, by the way, belongs to the same Saros cycle as this year’s.

11. When will the next total eclipse be seen from the United States?

The next total eclipse visible from anywhere in the United States will take place on March 30, 2033, across Alaska. On August 22, 2044, a total eclipse will be visible across parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The next eclipse to cross the entire country will take place on August 12, 2045, streaking from northern California to southern Florida. Here are the other total solar eclipses visible from the contiguous U.S. this century:

March 30, 2052 Florida, Georgia, tip of South Carolina May 11, 2078 From Louisiana to North Carolina May 1, 2079 From Philadelphia up the Atlantic coast to Maine September 14, 2099 From North Dakota to the Virginia-North Carolina border

12. What is the origin of the word ‘eclipse?’

The word first appeared in English writings in the late 13th century. It traces its roots, however, to the Greek words “ecleipsis” or “ekleipein.” According to various sources, the meaning was “to leave out, fail to appear,” “a failing, forsaking,” or “abandon, cease, die.”

13. Do solar eclipses follow any kind of pattern?

The Moon goes through several cycles. The best known is its 29.5-day cycle of phases, from new through full and back again. Other cycles include its distance from Earth (which varies by about 30,000 miles (50,000 km) over 27.5 days) and its relationship to the Sun’s path across the sky, known as the ecliptic (27.2 days), among others. These three cycles overlap every 6,585.3 days, which is 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours.

This cycle of cycles is known as a Saros (a word created by Babylonians). The circumstances for each succeeding eclipse in a Saros are similar—the Moon is about the same distance from Earth, for example, and they occur at the same time of year. Each eclipse occurs one-third of the way around Earth from the previous one, however; the next eclipse in this Saros, for example, will be visible from parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Each Saros begins with a partial eclipse. A portion of the Moon just nips the northern edge of the Sun, for example, blocking only a fraction of the Sun’s light. With each succeeding eclipse in the cycle, the Moon covers a larger fraction of the solar disk, eventually creating dozens of total eclipses. The Moon then slides out of alignment again, this time in the opposite direction, creating more partial eclipses. The series ends with a grazing partial eclipse on the opposite hemisphere (the southern tip, for example).

Several Saros cycles churn along simultaneously (40 are active now), so Earth doesn’t have to wait 18 years between eclipses. They can occur at intervals of one, five, six, or seven months.

The April 8 eclipse is the 30th of Saros 139, a series of 71 events that began with a partial eclipse, in the far north, and will end with another partial eclipse, this time in the far southern hemisphere. The next eclipse in this Saros, also total, will take place on April 20, 2042.

First eclipse May 17, 1501

First total eclipse December 21, 1843

Final total eclipse March 26, 2601

Longest total eclipse July 16, 2186,  7 minutes, 29 seconds

Final partial eclipse July 3, 2763

All eclipses 71 (43 total, 16 partial, 12 hybrid)

Source: NASA Catalog of Solar Eclipses: eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsaros/SEsaros139.html

14. What about eclipse seasons?

Eclipses occur in “seasons,” with two or three eclipses (lunar and solar) in a period of about five weeks. Individual eclipses are separated by two weeks: a lunar eclipse at full Moon, a solar eclipse at new Moon (the sequence can occur in either order). If the first eclipse in a season occurs during the first few days of the window, then the season will have three eclipses. When one eclipse in the season is poor, the other usually is much better.

That’s certainly the case with the season that includes the April 8 eclipse. It begins with a penumbral lunar eclipse on the night of March 24, in which the Moon will pass through Earth’s outer shadow. The eclipse will cover the Americas, although the shadow is so faint that most skywatchers won’t notice it.

This article was previously published in the March/April 2024 issue of StarDate  magazine, a publication of The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory. Catch StarDate’s daily radio program on more than 300 stations nationwide or subscribe online at  stardate.org .

15. How can astronomers forecast eclipses so accurately?

They’ve been recording eclipses and the motions of the Moon for millennia. And over the past half century they’ve been bouncing laser beams off of special reflectors carried to the Moon by Apollo astronauts and Soviet rovers. Those observations reveal the Moon’s position to within a fraction of an inch. Using a combination of the Earth-Moon distance, the Moon’s precise shape, Earth’s rotation and its distance from the Sun, and other factors, astronomers can predict the timing of an eclipse to within a fraction of a second many centuries into the future.

Edmond Halley made the first confirmed solar eclipse prediction, using the laws of gravity devised only a few decades earlier by Isaac Newton. Halley forecast that an eclipse would cross England on May 3, 1715. He missed the timing by just four minutes and the path by 20 miles, so the eclipse is known as Halley’s Eclipse.

16. What are the types of solar eclipses?

Total : the Moon completely covers the Sun.

Annular : the Moon is too far away to completely cover the Sun, leaving a bright ring of sunlight around it.

Partial : the Moon covers only part of the Sun’s disk.

Hybrid : an eclipse that is annular at its beginning and end, but total at its peak.

17. What are Baily’s beads?

During the minute or two before or after totality, bits of the Sun shine through canyons and other features on the limb of the Moon, producing “beads” of sunlight. They were first recorded and explained by Edmond Halley, in 1715. During a presentation to the Royal Academy of Sciences more than a century later, however, astronomer Frances Baily first described them as “a string of beads,” so they’ve been known as Baily’s beads ever since. Please note that Baily’s beads are too bright to look at without eye protection!

18. Will Earth always see total solar eclipses?

No, it will not. The Moon is moving away from Earth at about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) per year. Based on that rate of recession, in about 600 million years the Moon would have moved so far from Earth that it would no longer appear large enough to cover the Sun. The speed at which the Moon separates from Earth changes over the eons, however, so scientists aren’t sure just when Earth will see its final total solar eclipse.

19. How will the eclipse affect solar power?

If your solar-powered house is in or near the path of totality, the lights truly will go out, as they do at night. For large power grids, the eclipse will temporarily reduce the total amount of electricity contributed by solar generation. During the October 14, 2023, annular eclipse, available solar power plummeted in California and Texas. At the same time, demand increased as individual Sun-powered homes and other buildings began drawing electricity from the power grid. Both networks were able to compensate with stations powered by natural gas and other sources.

The power drop during this year’s eclipse could be more dramatic because there will be less sunlight at the peak of the eclipse.

20. What are some of the myths and superstitions associated with solar eclipses?

Most ancient cultures created stories to explain the Sun’s mysterious and terrifying disappearances.

In China and elsewhere, it was thought the Sun was being devoured by a dragon. Other cultures blamed a hungry frog (Vietnam), a giant wolf loosed by the god Loki (Scandinavia), or the severed head of a monster (India). Still others saw an eclipse as a quarrel (or a reunion) between Sun and Moon. Some peoples shot flaming arrows into the sky to scare away the monster or to rekindle the solar fire. One especially intriguing story, from Transylvania, said that an eclipse occurred when the Sun covered her face in disgust at bad human behavior.

Eclipses have been seen as omens of evil deeds to come. In August 1133, King Henry I left England for Normandy one day before a lengthy solar eclipse, bringing prophesies of doom. The country later was plunged into civil war, and Henry died before he could return home, strengthening the impression that solar eclipses were bad mojo.

Ancient superstitions claimed that eclipses could cause plague and other maladies. Modern superstitions say that food prepared during an eclipse is poison and that an eclipse will damage the babies of pregnant women who look at it. None of that is true, of course. There’s nothing at all to fear from this beautiful natural event.

21. How do animals react to solar eclipses?

Scientists haven’t studied the topic very thoroughly, but they do have some general conclusions. Many daytime animals start their evening rituals, while many nighttime animals wake up when the eclipse is over, perhaps cursing their alarm clocks for letting them sleep so late!

During the 2017 total eclipse, scientists observed 17 species at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina. About three-quarters of the species showed some response as the sky darkened. Some animals acted nervous, while others simply headed for bed. A species of gibbon had the most unusual reaction, moving excitedly and chattering in ways the zookeepers hadn’t seen before.

Other studies have reported that bats and owls sometimes come out during totality, hippos move toward their nighttime feeding grounds, and spiders tear down their webs, only to rebuild them when the Sun returns. Bees have been seen to return to their hives during totality and not budge until the next day, crickets begin their evening chorus, and, unfortunately, mosquitoes emerge, ready to dine on unsuspecting eclipse watchers.

A NASA project, Eclipse Soundscapes, is using volunteers around the country to learn more about how animals react to the changes. The project collected audio recordings and observations by participants during the annular eclipse last year, and will repeat the observations this year. Volunteers can sign up at eclipsesoundscapes.org

22. How will scientists study this year’s eclipse?

Astronomers don’t pay quite as much professional attention to solar eclipses as they did in decades and centuries past. However, they still schedule special observations to add to their knowledge of the Sun and especially the inner edge of the corona.

Sun-watching satellites create artificial eclipses by placing a small disk across the face of the Sun, blocking the Sun’s disk and revealing the corona, solar prominences, and big explosions of charged particles known as coronal mass ejections.

Because of the way light travels around the edges of an eclipsing disk, however, it’s difficult to observe the region just above the Sun’s visible surface, which is where much of the action takes place. The corona is heated to millions of degrees there, and the constant flow of particles known as the solar wind is accelerated to a million miles per hour or faster, so solar astronomers really want to see that region in detail. The eclipsing Moon doesn’t create the same effects around the limb of the Sun, so a solar eclipse still provides the best way to look close to the Sun’s surface.

For this year’s eclipse, some scientists will repeat a series of experiments they conducted in 2017 using a pair of highaltitude WB-57 aircraft to “tag team” through the lunar shadow, providing several extra minutes of observations.

Other scientists will use the eclipse to study Earth’s ionosphere, an electrically charged layer of the atmosphere that “bends” radio waves, allowing them to travel thousands of miles around the planet. Sunlight rips apart atoms and molecules during the day, intensifying the charge. At night, the atoms and molecules recombine, reducing the charge.

Physicists want to understand how the ionosphere reacts to the temporary loss of sunlight during an eclipse. They will do so with the help of thousands of volunteer ham radio operators, who will exchange messages with others around the planet. During last October’s annular eclipse, when the Moon covered most but not all of the Sun, the experiment showed a large and immediate change in the ionosphere as the sunlight dimmed.

NASA also will launch three small “sounding” rockets, which loft instruments into space for a few minutes, to probe the ionosphere shortly before, during, and shortly after the eclipse.

Another project will use radar to study changes in the interactions between the solar wind and Earth’s atmosphere, while yet another will use a radio telescope to map sunspots and surrounding regions as the Moon passes across them.

One project will piece together images of the eclipse snapped through more than 40 identical telescopes spaced along the path of totality to create a one-hour movie of the eclipse. The telescopes will be equipped with instruments that see the three-dimensional structure of the corona, allowing solar scientists to plot how the corona changes.

23. What have astronomers learned from eclipses?

Solar eclipses have been powerful tools for studying the Sun, the layout of the solar system, and the physics of the universe.

Until the Space Age, astronomers could see the Sun’s corona only during eclipses, so they traveled around the world to catch these brief glimpses of it.

Eclipses also offered a chance to refine the scale of the solar system. Watching an eclipse from different spots on Earth and comparing the angles of the Moon and Sun helped reveal the relative sizes and distances of both bodies, which were important steps in understanding their true distances.

During an eclipse in 1868, two astronomers discovered a new element in the corona. It was named helium, after Helios, a Greek name for the Sun. The element wasn’t discovered on Earth until a quarter of a century later.

An eclipse in 1919 helped confirm General Relativity, which was Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity. The theory predicted that the gravity of a massive body should deflect the path of light rays flying near its surface. During the eclipse, astronomers found that the positions of background stars that appeared near the Sun were shifted by a tiny amount, which was in perfect agreement with Einstein’s equations.

Today, astronomers are using records of eclipses dating back thousands of years to measure changes in Earth’s rotation rate and the distance to the Moon.

24. How did astronomers study eclipses in the past?

With great effort! From the time they could accurately predict when and where solar eclipses would be visible, they organized expeditions that took them to every continent except Antarctica, on trips that lasted months and that sometimes were spoiled by clouds or problems both technical and human.

During the American Revolution, for example, a group of Harvard scientists led by Samuel Williams received safe passage from the British army to view an eclipse from Penobscot Bay, Maine, on October 21, 1780. Williams slightly miscalculated the eclipse path, though, so the group missed totality by a few miles. (The expedition did make some useful observations, however.)

In 1860, an expedition headed by Simon Newcomb, one of America’s top astronomers, journeyed up the Saskatchewan River, hundreds of miles from the nearest city, braving rapids, mosquitoes, and bad weather. After five grueling weeks, they had to stop short of their planned viewing site, although at a location still inside the eclipse path. Clouds covered the Sun until almost the end of totality, however, so the expedition came up empty.

King Mongkut of Siam invited a French expedition and hundreds of other dignitaries to view an eclipse from present-day Thailand in 1868. He built an observatory and a large compound to house his guests at a site Mongkut himself had selected as the best viewing spot. The eclipse came off perfectly, but many visitors contracted malaria. So did Mongkut, who died a few weeks later.

An expedition in 1914, to Russia, was plagued by both clouds and the start of World War I. The team abandoned its instruments at a Russian observatory and escaped through Scandinavia.

The eclipse of July 29, 1878, offered fewer impediments. In fact, it was a scientific and social extravaganza. The eclipse path stretched from Montana Territory to Texas. Teams of astronomers from the United States and Europe spread out along the path. Thomas Edison stationed his group in Wyoming, where he used a tasimeter, a device of his own creation, to try to measure the temperature of the corona. Samuel Pierpoint Langley, a future secretary of the Smithsonian, was atop Pikes Peak in Colorado. Maria Mitchell, perhaps America’s leading female scientist, decamped to Denver. And Asaph Hall, who had discovered the moons of Mars just the year before, journeyed to the flatlands of eastern Colorado.

Thousands of average Americans joined the festivities, paying outrageous prices for some of the best viewing spots. Some things, it seems, never change.

25. What about lunar eclipses?

While solar eclipses happen during new Moon, lunar eclipses occur when the Moon is full, so it aligns opposite the Sun in our sky. The Moon passes through Earth’s shadow. In a total eclipse, the entire lunar disk turns orange or red. In a partial eclipse, Earth’s inner shadow covers only a portion of the Moon. And during a penumbral eclipse, the Moon passes through the outer portion of Earth’s shadow, darkening the Moon so little that most people don’t even notice it.

Lunar eclipses happen as often as solar eclipses—at least twice per year. This is a poor year for lunar eclipses, however. There is a penumbral eclipse on the night of March 24, with the Moon slipping through Earth’s faint outer shadow, and a partial eclipse on the night of September 17, in which the Moon barely dips into the darker inner shadow. Both eclipses will be visible from most of the United States.

Explore Latest Articles

Apr 10, 2024

Clint Dawson and Stephen Vladeck Honored With President’s Research Impact Award

Apr 09, 2024

UT’s Excellence and Impact On Display in Latest Graduate School Rankings

Apr 05, 2024

A UTotal Solar Eclipse

Is it safe to look at a total solar eclipse? What to know about glasses, proper viewing

If you have your eyewear to take in monday's eclipse, here are some last-minute things to consider to ensure you're good to go..

The much-anticipated solar eclipse will finally enshroud thousands of miles of North America today in its long, narrow shadow. By now, those who plan to witness it should have their plans in place .

Travel has been completed. Schedules have been coordinated around the anticipated moment of totality. And proper eyewear is, of course, in your possession. Right?

We at USA TODAY have published no shortage of articles guiding you away from scam eclipse glasses and to the safest, most reliable options – some of which were even free. But if you need a last-minute refresher – or a crash course to catch you up on a topic you entirely missed – we're happy to oblige.

If you don't have your eclipse glasses by now, it may be too late. But some vendors, including Warby Parker , and even public libraries, have offered eclipse glasses giveaways , so be sure to check your local area before the historic event rolls into town.

And if you do have your eyewear to take in Monday's eclipse – the last one of these incredible astronomical events in North America for 20 years – here are some last-minute things to consider to ensure you're in good shape.

Solar eclipse 2024 live updates: See latest weather forecast, what time it hits your area

Can you go blind by looking at the solar eclipse?

Staring at the sun is  unlikely to completely blind you , but its powerful rays can still burn and  damage your retinas if you don't take proper safety precautions to view  solar eclipses .

That's why eyewear is recommended if you plan to look up at the sun Monday to witness the solar eclipse, which most of the country will be able to experience in some way.

In the face of the sun's powerful rays, regular sunglasses made of cheap plastic and polycarbonate material just aren't going to cut it. Astronomers and other experts instead emphasize that skygazers intent on viewing the upcoming total solar eclipse do so with  specialized eyewear  crafted to  protect their sensitive retinas  from permanent damage.

Even viewing any part of the bright sun through camera lenses, binoculars and telescopes without a specialized solar filter  could instantly cause severe eye injury , according to the American Astronomical Society.

Often made with a polyester film coated in aluminum, the glasses are highly specialized . Compared to regular sunglasses, proper eclipse glasses are 100,000 times darker to block nearly all visible, infrared and ultraviolet light and protect our sensitive retinas when looking skyward.

As another point of safety, don't look up while driving , please.

How to know when it's safe to view the eclipse without glasses

A  total solar eclipse  offers the unique opportunity for skygazers to  witness the spectacular astral display  with the naked eye – but only when the time is right.

Hundreds of cities in  13 states are along the path of totality  for the eclipse, which will move across North America from southwest to northeast . When the moon moves completely in front of the sun and blocks its light for a brief period of time, you'll know it's safe to fully take in the dazzling display.

That moment is what is called "totality," whereby uncharacteristic darkness falls and all but the sun's outermost layer known as its corona makes a rare appearance to us here on Earth,  according to NASA .

How to make sure your eclipse glasses aren't fake

In the rush to acquire  some coveted eclipse glasses  before April 8 , you may have inadvertently fallen victim to the  fakes and imitators proliferating online retailers .

While plenty of legitimate certified eyewear was widely available – and may still be – less-scrupulous manufacturers try all sorts of methods and tricks to get your attention and make you believe the product you're about to buy is the real deal.

For instance, many vendors began making the grand (and entirely made-up) claim that their products are endorsed by NASA.

As the space agency  reiterated to USA TODAY , NASA highly recommended that skygazers get a pair of certified eclipse glasses before the total solar eclipse  charts a 115-mile-wide path of totality  blanketing much of North America in  uncharacteristic darkness . But it does not approve  any particular brand of solar viewers, despite what many vendors may claim.

The responsibility of guiding American consumers to the safest eclipse glasses is largely left to the American Astronomical Society.

The organization maintains  a curated list of approved vendors  of solar eclipse glasses that it updated to give priority to North American manufacturers ahead of the total solar eclipse. Products you purchase that are listed on that site are guaranteed to be  in compliance with  the highest international safety standards.

Those standards are set by the International Organization for Standardization, which only vouches for solar eclipse glasses that are dark and strong enough to filter out a certain amount of the sun's harmful light.

The astronomical society also provides some  helpful tips  for how to spot counterfeit glasses.

No eclipse glasses? Welding lenses, pinhole projectors among alternative viewers

While certified solar eclipse glasses are the preferred method for viewing the eclipse, alternative methods do exist that don't necessarily sacrifice one's safety.

Many people, particularly blue-collar workers, may be tempted to turn to those welding lenses they have sitting in their workshop.

But beware: The most common welding goggles and helmets aren't typically strong enough to adequately withstand the sun's powerful rays and protect your vulnerable eyes.

Any welding lenses weaker than a Shade 12 filter – a number that indicates the level of protection offered – just aren't going to cut it when it comes to gazing upward in anticipation of the moon blocking all but the sun's outermost layer.

It's also not too late to buy some welding lenses, which Tractor Supply is promoting for sale at its 282 stores along the path of totality as a viable option for viewing the eclipse.

Another simple method is to create your own pinhole projector to project the sun onto a nearby surface. The American Astronomical Society offers helpful  instructions  to set them up.

And one final note: As you make your eclipse-viewing plans,  these interactive maps  should help you chart the time and duration for when totality would occur in cities along the path.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

Watch CBS News

How often total solar eclipses happen — and why Monday's was so rare

By Kerry Breen

Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 5:05 AM EDT / CBS News

On April 8, a rare total solar eclipse  drew a "path of totality" over North America , throwing swaths of the United States, Canada and Mexico into darkness in the middle of the day. 

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking our view of the sun as it passes. It's called a total solar eclipse when the moon completely blocks the light of the sun. These events are rare, and can only be viewed in specific areas for short periods of time. 

The path of totality for the 2024 total solar eclipse stretched from Texas to the East Coast. Cities including Dallas, Texas; Buffalo, New York; and Burlington, Vermont, were among the areas with the best views.

How often do total solar eclipses happen?

Total solar eclipses are rare, and ones that are visible from the United States are even rarer.

The events occur every one to three years somewhere around the globe, but are often only visible from Earth's poles or from the middle of the ocean. 

A number of factors go into enjoying a total solar eclipse. Viewers need clear skies to ensure the phenomenon isn't blocked by clouds, and only those within the path of totality will see the full effect of the sun being blotted out. Those outside the path of totality can still observe a partial eclipse, when the moon covers some, but not all, of the sun, NASA said .  

When was the last total solar eclipse? 

The last total solar eclipse was in 2021 and was only visible from Antarctica. The period of totality lasted just one minute and 54 seconds, according to NOAA .

The last total solar eclipse visible from North America was in 2017 . Parts of the United States from Oregon to South Carolina were able to witness the rare phenomenon. Before that , the last total solar eclipse visible in the U.S. was in 1979, when just five states were in the path of totality. 

When will the next total solar eclipse be?  

The next total solar eclipse will be on Aug. 12, 2026, according to NOAA . This eclipse will be viewable from the Arctic, eastern Greenland, northern Spain and Iceland. 

Those looking to see a total solar eclipse in the United States will have to wait significantly longer. A total solar eclipse won't occur in the contiguous U.S. until August 2044.

Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

More from CBS News

Couple gets engaged on flight to see total solar eclipse

Bill Nye shares tips for eclipse: "Be in the moment"

How to find the best tax relief company

Should you buy gold coins and bars while prices are high?