Eclipse 2017 in Northern Illinois Sure, it’s not a superb image. Still, with all the rain and clouds in the area, it’s a lucky shot to remember this special day. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun. Totality, where the moon completely covers the sun, occurs in a narrow path across Earth’s surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over the surrounding area, hundreds of miles wide. Northern Illinois was not in the path of totality, but was in an area of 87% of totality. The next eclipse will not occur until 2024 and will be visible again in Illinois.
