Wikipedia Notes: In astronomy, a total solar eclipse occurred on February 26, 1979. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moonpasses between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring Earth's view of the Sun. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across the surface of the Earth, while a partial solar eclipse will be visible over a region thousands of kilometers wide. The central shadow of the moon passed through the northwestern U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho,Montana, and North Dakota, the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, andNunavut, and Greenland. Many visitors traveled to the Pacific Northwest to view the eclipse, since it would be the last chance to view a total solar eclipse in the United States for almost four decades. The next over the United states will be the total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017.