On April 8, North America will experience a total solar eclipse, stretching across parts of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, with approximately 31.6 million people living in the path of totality. According to NASA, every contiguous state in the U.S., along with parts of Alaska and Hawaii, will witness at least a partial solar eclipse.

With all eyes toward the sky during an eclipse, Dr. Dawn Davis, a dermatologist at Mayo Clinic, says it's important to protect your eyes and your skin from ultraviolet (UV) light damage. You'll need eye protection with special-purpose solar filters for viewing, and you should take precautions to safeguard your skin from the sun's rays during long periods outside.

And when it comes to protection, she says sunscreen is for the skin only—never for the eye itself.

A total solar eclipse is when the moon completely blocks the sun, temporarily darkening the sky. Looking directly at the sun can cause damage to the retina due to the strong amount of UV light.

"If you would like to see the solar eclipse, you will need to have special solar eclipse glasses," says Dr.

Don't be alarmed when the sky goes dark on April 8. A total solar eclipse will traverse North America, crossing Mexico, the United States, and Canada. This event will mark the only total solar eclipse visible from the United States until 2044. The full path of totality, as it's called, will begin on Mexico's Pacific Coast, cross northwestern Pennsylvania and New York state, and exit at the Atlantic Coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, completely obscuring the sun from view. Those situated in the path of totality will see the moon fully cover the sun, the resulting shadow plunging the area into darkness during the day.

If the weather permits, spectators may also observe the "ring of fire," a term NASA uses to describe the stunning visual effect when the sun's outer atmosphere is visible as a luminous ring around the moon's silhouette against the darkened sky.

Here's what you need to know to experience this awe-inspiring event.

When is the next total solar eclipse?

The total solar eclipse will occur on April 8.

NASA's VIPER—short for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover—now stands taller and more capable than ever, thanks to its mast.

VIPER's mast, and the suite of instruments affixed to it, looks a lot like the rover's "neck" and "head." The mast instruments are designed to help the team of rover drivers and real-time scientists send commands and receive data while the rover navigates around hazardous crater slopes, boulders, and places that risk communications blackouts. The team will use these instruments, along with four science payloads, to scout the lunar South Pole.

Japan's valiant moon lander was put to sleep again after unexpectedly surviving its second ultra-chilly long lunar night, the space agency said Monday.