calculate travel time from one place to another

Drive Time Calculator

How to use drive time calculator, estimated time of arrival, travel time to home, meet the creator of the drive time calculator.

The drive time calculator – also known as the travel time calculator, is our innovative tool created exclusively for drivers. It helps you find out the estimated time of arrival (ETA) at your car trip destination and determine the fuel costs of the journey.

So, if you are planning a vacation trip with friends in a seaside resort or would like to estimate the travel time to home by car, check out our drive time calculator!

Our drive time calculator covers every aspect of your trip: it calculates the total time needed to complete your journey, predicts your arrival time at the destination, and determines the overall cost of the drive, including the cost per person.

To accurately determine your arrival time and the total driving duration, follow these steps:

Before entering any values, choose your preferred units of measurement , where applicable. For instance, you can opt for imperial or metric units when specifying distances. This selection will determine how the calculator interprets your inputs.

Enter the total distance of your trip.

Specify your average driving speed during the trip.

Enter the total duration of breaks you plan to take during the journey.

Specify the departure time , day, month, and year.

Upon entering these details, the tool will calculate the total driving duration and exact arrival time based on your input.

If you're interested in determining the costs associated with your trip , use the second section of the calculator and follow these steps:

Specify your car's fuel consumption rate .

Indicate current fuel price .

Input the number of passengers traveling with you.

The calculator will subsequently determine the total drive cost and the cost per person based on the provided information.

For example , consider a scenario where you must drive 140 km (87 mi) at an average speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). You plan to take a 30-minute break, and your departure time is January 22, 2024, at 7:00 pm. In this case, the calculator would compute a total drive time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, estimating your arrival at the destination on January 22, 2024, at 9:15 pm.

Moreover, if your fuel consumption rate is 8 liters per 100 kilometers (62 miles) and the fuel price is $0.90 per liter, the total cost of your journey would be $10.08. If you're traveling with a companion, you could split the cost, resulting in $5.04 per person.

🙋‍♂️ If you need to be at a specific destination by a particular time and are wondering when to depart, our calculator has you covered — it works in reverse, too! Here's how to use it:

Input when you intend to arrive at your destination in the variable arrival time .

Enter the total distance you need to cover.

Specify the average driving speed you plan to maintain.

If you plan to take breaks during the journey, enter the total duration.

The calculator will determine the optimal departure time , ensuring you reach your destination as planned!

Have more questions about the estimated time of arrival? Keep reading.

Estimated time of arrival (ETA) is the time when a vehicle, ship, aircraft, or cargo is expected to arrive at a particular place.

For example, a particular cruise bus may have an ETA calculated based on the expected average speed on a particular road. The travel distance is simply divided by the speed to roughly estimate the arrival time. This method does not consider any unexpected events (such as car accidents on the road or bad weather conditions) that may occur on the way to the driver's destination.

Visit our speed calculator to learn more about how to calculate speed.

Let's assume we are driving home with friends from a winter vacation in the mountains.

The distance to our home city is 850 km .

We are driving with an average speed of 110 km/h .

We will make three short 15-minute breaks and 1-hour long dinner break, which gives:

Total time of breaks = 3 × 15 min + 1h = 1h 45min

We will start the trip on the 21 February 2018 at 10:00 am.

Now, the most interesting question – when will we be at home? Let's calculate the total drive time:

Total drive time = (distance/average drive speed) + total breaks time = 9h 28min

Arrival time: 21 February 2018 at 07:28 pm

Now, we want to know how much this journey will cost us. With our drive time calculator, the answer to this question is very simple!

• Let's assume that our SUV car takes 9.5 liters of fuel per 100 km.
• The gasoline price is €1.22 per liter.
• We are traveling as a group of 4 friends -> Number of passengers = 4

The answer to the question is below:

Total drive cost = (distance/100) × car fuel consumption × fuel price = €98.52

Drive cost per person = total drive cost/number of passengers = €24.63

Super! Now, we know all we need – the exact travel time to home with an estimated arrival time and how much each passenger needs to pay for that journey. Let's start the engine! 🙂

We also have a great tool called traffic density calculator that helps you analyze the traffic on any road.

Check out the gas calculator , too, if you need to estimate the fuel cost for a drive.

I'm Filip, the mastermind behind the drive time calculator, and I'm a biomedical and electrical engineering graduate from AGH University of Krakow.

My motivation to develop this tool emerged during a road trip, where the challenges of planning a long journey, including costs and time uncertainties, became evident. In response, I envisioned a solution — a tool that calculates travel duration and considers essential factors like fuel costs. The outcome is a user-friendly tool designed to simplify journey planning , whether for extended trips or daily commutes.

Why trust this tool? We put extra care into the quality of our content so that they are as accurate and reliable as possible. Each tool is peer-reviewed by a trained expert and then proofread by a native speaker. If you'd like to learn more about our standards, please check the Editorial Policies page .

How do I calculate the average speed for my trip?

To calculate your average speed for your trip, you must note the trip distance and drive time or travel time and follow these steps:

• Subtract the total time used for breaks from the drive time.
• Divide the trip distance by the difference obtained in step 1.
• The value calculated is the average speed for the trip.
• Verify your result with our drive time calculator.

How fast can I reach Boston from New York driving at 60 mph?

It'll take 3 hrs 35 mins without any breaks. Allowing for a 15 min break, it'll take you 3 hrs 50 min. Here's how you can calculate this answer:

If you take the I-90 W, Boston is 215 miles from New York.

Divide this distance by the average speed to get drive time without breaks:

215/60 = 3.5833 = 3 hrs 35 min .

Add a 15 min break to drive time for a convenient and safe drive to get a total drive time of 3 hrs 50 mins .

Verify with our drive time calculator.

How do I calculate mileage of my vehicle?

To calculate the mileage of your vehicle, follow these steps:

• When refueling, note the initial odometer reading and the amount of fuel you're filling.
• When you stop for fuel again, note the final odometer reading .
• Subtract the initial odometer reading from the final reading and divide the difference by the amount of fuel used.

How far can you drive in one day?

Assuming you drive for 8 hours in a day at 60 mph, with 15 min breaks every 2 hours and an hour-long lunch break in between, you can drive 390 miles . To calculate this answer, follow these steps:

Calculate total break time :

15 min + 60 min + 15 min = 1 hr 30 min .

Subtract this from 8 hours to get 8 - 1:30 = 6 hr 30 min .

Multiply this time with 60 mph average speed to get the distance traveled:

60 × 6.5 = 390 miles .

Verify this result with our drive time calculator.

Time in between

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Travel Time Calculator

Estimated travel time.

These average speeds are based on typical urban travel conditions. Your travel time may vary.

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Understanding Travel Time Calculator: A Comprehensive Guide

Travel planning is an integral part of our daily lives, whether it involves commuting to work, delivering goods, or planning a vacation. A critical aspect of this planning is estimating travel time. The Travel Time Calculator is an invaluable tool in this respect, offering detailed time estimations based on different modes of transportation.

Decoding the Travel Time Calculator

A travel time calculator is a dynamic tool designed to calculate estimated travel time considering various factors such as distance, mode of transport, speed, and possible stops. It takes the hassle out of travel planning by providing accurate time estimates, transforming the way we plan our journeys.

From Sundials to Digital Calculators: A Historical Overview

The idea of calculating time has its roots in antiquity, with traders and explorers estimating their travel times to strategize their journeys. The digitization of this concept came much later with the advent of the internet. Now, we have evolved from simplistic models that considered constant speeds to more sophisticated calculators accounting for variable speeds, different modes of transport, and additional factors that influence travel times.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use a Travel Time Calculator?

Using a travel time calculator is easy and intuitive. Here's a quick guide:

• Select your mode of transport: Options typically include walking, cycling, driving, or using public transport.
• Input the total distance to your destination.
• Click the "Calculate" button.
• The tool instantly provides an estimated travel time.

Example Calculations

Let's look at some example calculations using a travel time calculator:

• Walking: If the total distance to your destination is 5 kilometers and your walking speed is 5 km/h, your estimated travel time will be 1 hour.
• Cycling: If the total distance to your destination is 10 kilometers and your cycling speed is 15 km/h, your estimated travel time will be approximately 40 minutes.
• Driving: If the total distance to your destination is 60 kilometers and your average driving speed is 60 km/h, your estimated travel time will be 1 hour.

The Business Perspective: An Indispensable Tool

The travel time calculator has wide-ranging applications in the business world. Logistics companies use it to estimate delivery times, improving their service efficiency. Ride-hailing services utilize it to predict travel times, which are crucial for fare calculations. Travel and tourism businesses use it to design optimal itineraries. Thus, it's a vital tool for businesses requiring any form of travel planning.

Educational Implications: A Learning Tool

In education, travel time calculators can facilitate interactive learning. They serve as practical tools for teaching the concept of speed, distance, and time. Using these calculators, students can solve problems and apply their understanding in real-world contexts, thereby improving their mathematical and logical skills.

Applications in Daily Life

For the everyday user, the travel time calculator is a godsend. It enables efficient journey planning, helps manage time effectively, and reduces the uncertainty associated with travel times. In a time-crunched world, it makes life simpler and travel planning a breeze.

Limitations and Future Potential

While the travel time calculator is an excellent tool, it's not without limitations. The accuracy of travel times can be affected by variable factors such as traffic, weather conditions, and unforeseen delays. However, the future holds promise with advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning that could enable these calculators to consider these variables, providing even more accurate time estimations.

The travel time calculator, despite some limitations, continues to be invaluable for businesses, educational institutions, and individual users. Harness its potential to make your travel planning more efficient and hassle-free.

Mileage Calculator

Use the following mileage calculator to determine the travel distance, in terms of miles, and time taken by car to travel between two locations in the United States, disregarding traffic conditions.

What is TravelTime?

Create a Travel Time Map

Travel time map generator & isochrones, i know i can get from a to b by public transport within my selected time, but it's not showing up.

• Walking to the station platform
• Waiting for the next available departure
• Time spent boarding the train
• Giving enough time to take the A to B journey
• Depart on the station on the other side.

You can't drive that far / you can drive much further than that"

• Open another mapping app of your choice and enter an A to B route
• Select a departure time for tomorrow.

Still not convinced?

About this tool, what is a travel time map, how to create a drive time radius map or other modes.

• Select a start location
• Select a maximum travel time limit
• Select a mode of transport, for example driving
• Voila! There's your driving radius map

Use cases for consumers

• Create a commute time map so you can see where to live based on commute time.
• How far can i travel in a given time: compare transport coverage for different areas.
• Create a drive time radius map: explore how far you can travel on a road trip.

Use cases for businesses

• Travel time mapping up to 4 hours & cross reference other data sets in GIS such as population data
• Site selection analysis: analyse the best location to locate a business by adding thousands of analysis points
• Create a distance matrix or travel time matrix & calculate travel times from thousands of origins to thousands of destinations
• Network analysis / travelling salesman problem: use spatial analytics to solve routing problems
• Commute time map - plot thousands of employee commute times for an office relocation
• Create up to 3 time polygons visualising where's reachable within 2 hours or less. Our API can create large travel time areas, talk to sales.
• Calculate travel times from an origin to various points of interest - in this demo we use points from Foursquare Give A to B routing details

Full access

• Book a demo
• Trial TravelTime API
• Trial QGIS Plugin
• Trial ArcGIS Pro Add-In
• Trial Alteryx Macros

TravelTime Features

• See 'How far can I get' in X minutes
• Create a drive time map or any other transport mode
• Overlap many shapes & highlight overlap area
• Search points of interest within the area
• Get A to B routing details

• Travel Time
• Coordinates
• Flight Distance
• Flight Time
• Route Elevation

Travel Time Calculator

Travel time calculation.

• Q) I am driving from one city to another city and need to know how long it will take me to get there, where can I find this information?
• Q) I am traveling cross country and need to know whether I should drive or take a plane, how can I figure out approximately how long it will take to get there by car?
• Q) I am planning a trip and plan to make a stop along the way... I need to know the time it would take me to get to these 2 locations, how can I get this info?

A) The travel time calculator can give you a good estimate of how long it would take you to get to your destination.

Additionally, you can calculate the time it would take you to drive to your destination and compare that to how long it would take you to fly to your destination.

If you plan on stopping at a particular location along the way, you can calculate how long it would take you to get to and from that stop to your final destination.

Travel Time Information

Knowing the time it takes you to travel to a place is in many cases the deciding factor of which means of travel to take. Cost is usually the other factor.

With the travel time calculator you can figure out whether it's worth driving to your destination or whether you'll get there on time.

Now while driving may often seem like the right choice, certain delays along the way can make your trip take longer.

Delays such as stopping for gas, food or sleep can add to the time it takes you to get there. Poor whether conditions, road work and traffic can also cause delays along the way.

While the travel time calculator can't predict many of these things, it can prepare you for the road and give you an estimate of how long it would take you to get where you need to go.

Additionally, you can also view a road map so that you can see why the trip takes as long as it does.

Copyright (c) 2024 Distancesto.com

Distance From To - Calculate distance between two addresses, cities, states, zipcodes, or locations

Enter a city, a zipcode, or an address in both the Distance From and the Distance To address inputs. Click Calculate Distance, and the tool will place a marker at each of the two addresses on the map along with a line between them. The distance between them will appear just above the map in both miles and kilometers. The tool is useful for estimating the mileage of a flight, drive, or walk. Can easily determine the distance between 2 cities as well.

Other tools to help with distance questions

In addition to this tool we also offer a couple other tools that can help find the distance on a map. You can use the mileage calculator to compare the difference between driving or flying between 2 cities. If on the other hand you want to click multiple points on the map in order to find the distance of the entire line you can do that with the distance calculator . We are always trying to find better ways to provide you with the information you need. If you have a suggestion please let us know.

• Percentage Calculator
• CO2 Emission

Distance Calculator

Faq about distance calculator.

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Calculate distance of your route

Last rides added.

24 mars 2024

Course du printemps 2024

Saint-Maur - Le Parc 3

Les 3 têtes : Arpettaz, Ronde et Noire

Le Grand'Arc

Belvédère du Pas du Roc

Mont Charvaz depuis Ontex

Col de la biche - Grand Colombier

All features of mapplanner.

Discover all the possibilities offered by MapPlanner to calculate the distances of all your types of routes (jogging, hiking, cycling or walking).

How far did I run or walk?

Map or draw a route using our map with all running or cycling path. Find your location by entering an address, city or place to begin or selecting directly on the map. Automatically, the route will follow the road and calculate the distance traveled. You can also view the elevation profile as you plot the route. By the way, you can only draw the one way trip, the round trip is automatically calculated!

How to calculate my time or speed of my ride?

Once the route is done with the map, you only have to enter your time or average speed, automatically the speed or the estimated time performed (by walking or running) will be calculated and displayed!

Automatically estimate the duration of the route

From your previous routes, it is possible to calculate precisely the estimated time for your next hike or run. The algorithm relies on the characteristics of the route such as the slope or the difficulty calculated to refine the estimated time.

Plan and save all your routes

Would you like to plan your next outing or save a route you've already taken (running, jogging, hiking, cycling, etc.)? Nothing could be simpler: once the route has been mapped out, you can save it in your account and find all the previous routes and their characteristics (duration, average speed, distance, altitude difference, associated description, etc.).

Import your GPX, KML or FIT courses

From your smart watch (Garmin, Suunto, Polar, Huawei, Amazfit, Samsung, ...), export your route in GPX, KML or FIT format and then directly import all the tracks of your route. It will be automatically displayed on the map with the associated time and speed. Moreover, if the watch measures your heart rate, you will also be able to consult the heartbeat graph.

Plan your future outings

Have you spotted interesting places for your next activities? Indicate your planned locations directly on the map. You can also create your own itineraries from the planned locations.

Compare the progression of your performance

From each type of your rides (running, walking, cycling, and hiking), follow the evolution of your performance over time. You can also share your routes publicly with the community and compare your routes.

Explore the routes and POIs already created

Browse all the routes of other joggers, hikers and walkers with the description, pictures, duration and level associated with the ride. When you create your own ride, you can also see the pictures from other users to indicate the best points of interest in the region!

Search for a route or a ride

Enter a place, city or point of interest to find all the routes and itineraries created by other users. Thus you can find useful information to plan and calculate the time of your trip.

Track your position in real time

Track your position in real time on the map with your orientation. You can easily know your position and calculate the remaining distance by indicating a place on the map.

Install the website as an apps

You can install the website as an application on your smartphone thanks to the PWA technology. When launching the website in your Chrome browser, it will offer you to install the website as an application on the homepage of your device. You can then enjoy all the features directly and even use the website offline! Just check out the ride and view it on the map and the data will be saved locally.

Want to use MapPlanner to its full potential?

Any ideas let us know.

In partnership with Locatipic , best website to find french typical products by regions.

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Mapplanner : subscriptions now available.

We're proud to launch MapPlanner subscriptions, giving you access to even more features with unlimited use! Subscribing to the Explorer version allows you to :

• Explore and create your own unlimited routes!
• Choose from a range of mapping styles: display elevation changes, terrain shadows, etc.
• Benefit from maps adapted to each of your activities: paths, parking lots, orientation points, contour lines, water points, etc.
• Select the type of route to follow automatically according to your activity: running, hiking, cycling, mountain biking and road biking.
• Import and export your routes (unlimited) in GPX, TCX, KML and FIT from a file or your connected watch, with heart rate display if available.
• Track your position on the map in real time and calculate distance, elevation gain and estimated time to your finish.
• Plan your future outings by listing them directly on the map.
• Enjoy fast access from the home page on your smartphone (like a PWA application).

At the same time, the site continues to evolve:

• Improved contour lines on the map: calculation of vertical drop every 25m with the most accurate data possible (EU-DEM European mapping system).
• More precise mountain map style to better differentiate different types of terrain (field, scree, glacier, etc.).
• Automatic track selection: walking/jogging, hiking, biking and mountain biking.

Last but not least, new features are under development and will soon be available on the site:

• Reachable distance from a point: do you have 2 hours for your outing? Display on the map all the places accessible from a starting point.
• Display your route directly on your site: integrate the map with your route directly on your site.
• 3D view of your route: visualize your route in 3D: walk your route in a relief view. See mountains, valleys and ridges as they really are.

Benefit from a 33% discount during the launch period! Pay securely with our payment partners Stripe/CB or PayPal.

Version 1.1 of MapPlanner

Following your feedback, new features have been added to explore and create more easily your routes and itineraries (walking courses, hiking, ...).

New features for MapPlanner

New languages available.

The site is now translated in 5 languages:

If you see any translation errors, please let us know :) In addition, each course description is also automatically translated to facilitate its understanding in other countries.

Site available in PWA

This technology allows you to install the site (through Chrome Mobile) as a mobile application on your smartphone. You can then launch the site directly from your list of applications. This also allows you to consult the route even if you don't have a network! Remember to visit the route on your phone before leaving to save it with the map.

New features for the rides

Locate your position.

Under each route map, you can geo-locate yourself to know your current position in relation to the route. Moreover, once located, another button appears to follow your position in real time with your orientation! You can then follow your location live and check if you are following the planned path.

Weather forecast

A new button appears in the route sheet: display the weather forecast. With the help of open-meteo, you can check the weather forecast for the next 7 days. And above all, know the temperature and precipitation to avoid surprises.

For all public routes, other users will be able to add comments on your route. This will allow you to give details about the difficulty, the changes of indication, ...

You can now indicate a pause time when adding a route or a performance. This time will be deducted from the total time for the calculation of your performances. This makes it easier to indicate the total time and the break will be automatically deducted.

New search features

Dedicated page for search.

A specific page to search for routes and trips has been added. You can now select different criteria:

• Find a route by location or keywords
• Display the routes around your current position
• Filter the routes by difficulty level, time or distance

Elevation profile explanation

How is elevation profile calculated.

By definition, elevation gain is the difference in elevation between two points on the earth's surface. These points are defined by geographic coordinates. Let's go into more detail to understand how MapPlanner calculates this from your route. What is the purpose of the elevation change for your route (rides or hikes)? In order to prepare your routes well (and to establish your progressions precisely), it is necessary to base on the difficulty of the route by calculating the difference in altitude for each point of the route. On a flat area, the calculation is quite simple, the difficulty is constant over the whole route, so we use only the complete distance of the route. On the other hand, on a winding path, the calculation will depend strongly on the slope of the difference in level. The time taken will then become longer and longer depending on the slope of the terrain. Walking only 1km on a slope can be as difficult as running 3km on flat ground. The distance even becomes secondary to calculate the total difficulty.

Interest of the IBP index

The Hiking Federation uses a rating system for hikes based on 3 criteria: - the effort - technicality - the risk This score between 0 and 100 allows to evaluate a hiking itinerary and to deduce the physical condition and the time needed according to the person. MapPlanner uses an equivalent mechanism to determine the time required to hike a trail. It is not useful for running because it is often done on roads or paths.

A little theoretical point: what is elevation gain?

To complete the above definition, let's use an example to understand the concept of elevation profile. If your starting point is at 1000m and you ride to 2000m and then come back to 1000m, your global elevation will be 0 but the cumulated elevation will be 2000m. The global elevation is the difference between the altitude of the starting point (here 1000m) and the altitude of the arrival point (always 1000m), so in the end 0m! In the case of a hike, we ignore this data because it is not interesting. On the other hand, the cumulative difference in altitude is the sum of all the differences in altitude. In the previous example, it will be 2000m. We can also distinguish between the positive elevation (1000m) and the negative elevation (1000m). The positive difference in height, which represents the total of the elevation change, will be faster to cover than the negative difference in height, which represents the total of the descents. As a general rule, we consider that it takes twice as much time to go up than down. This rule is used by our algorithm to refine the calculation of the time needed to cover the route.

How to determine the difference in altitude in practice?

After a quick theoretical lesson, here are the different ways to know the difference in altitude. Using the MapPlanner ride creation tool, you can display the elevation change curve directly below your route. In addition, once the route is created, all the important information is summarized below the map. This way you can quickly see the positive and negative elevation changes of your route. After planning your route, we advise you to use a map to check in advance and during your trip, the difficulty required to achieve it in the estimated time. On the map, the contour lines are represented every 10 meters. The closer the curves are to each other, the greater the difficulty! Finally, you can also use a dedicated GPS (like Garmin) or an application on your smartphone, to know in real time your progress on the course.

First version of MapPlanner!

Welcome on mapplanner :).

We're are proud to present you the first version of MapPlanner, the online tool to calculate the distance covered of all your activities (runs, jogs, hikes or bike rides).

Let's discover all the functionnalities of MapPlanner.

Whether you are jogging, biking or hiking, you can quickly and easily determine the distance covered by your route:

https://www.map-planner.com

First, select on the map your start point or enter an address, city, region, ... and draw your route. Automatically, the route will follow the road and calculate the distance traveled between the 2 last map points.

Then enter the time to calculate your average speed and know your performance.

Last but not least, the associated elevation profile well be calculated.

Plan and save your route

Do you want to know in advance how long it will take you to get there? Let's go and plan your route:

https://www.map-planner.com/rides/plan

As with the distance calculation, you can estimate in advance the expected time or the average speed of your route. You can also take into account the difficulty of the route thanks to the difference in altitude.

Follow your performance

Once you have entered your routes or activities, you can follow your progress and the evolution of your performance over time.

For each type of route (running, cycling or hiking), the time taken, the average speed and the distance covered will be displayed according to the data of your routes.

Nothing could be easier than to follow your performance over time!

Improvements / Questions

You have ideas on how to improve our tools? Don't hesitate to leave us a message.

MapPlanner team.

© 2024 · Made in Cologne, Germany · No guarantee for information provided.

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Flight Time Calculator

Flying time between cities.

Travelmath provides an online flight time calculator for all types of travel routes. You can enter airports, cities, states, countries, or zip codes to find the flying time between any two points. The database uses the great circle distance and the average airspeed of a commercial airliner to figure out how long a typical flight would take. Find your travel time to estimate the length of a flight between airports, or ask how long it takes to fly from one city to another.

You can also search for the closest airport to any city in the world or check the flying distance between airports. If you're thinking about a road trip, compare the driving time for the same route.

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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.

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When is Eid al-Fitr 2024 and how is it celebrated?

The three-day festival celebrates the completion of the fasting month of Ramadan by Muslims across the world.

As a new moon was not sighted on Monday evening after Maghrib prayers, Muslims in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries will fast one more day, completing 30 days of Ramadan. The first day of Eid will then be celebrated on Wednesday, April 10.

The first day of Eid al-Fitr is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon marking the start of the month of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar.

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Lunar months last between 29 and 30 days so Muslims usually have to wait until the night before Eid to verify its date.

Other countries follow independent sightings.

When the sighting has been verified, Eid is declared on television, radio stations and at mosques.

How do Muslims celebrate Eid?

Traditionally, Eid is celebrated for three days as an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries. However, the number of holiday days varies by country.

Muslims begin Eid day celebrations by partaking in a prayer service that takes place shortly after dawn, followed by a short sermon.

On their way to the prayer, which is traditionally held in an open area, Muslims recite takbeerat, praising God by saying “Allahu Akbar”, meaning “God is great”.

It is customary to eat something sweet before the prayer, such as date -filled biscuits known as maamoul in the Middle East. This particular festival is known as the “sweet” Eid – and the distribution of sweets is common across the Muslim world.

Muslims usually spend the day visiting relatives and neighbours and accepting sweets as they move around from house to house.

Each country has traditional desserts and sweets that are prepared before Eid or on the morning of the first day.

Children, dressed in new clothes, are offered gifts and money to celebrate the joyous occasion.

Girls and women in many countries decorate their hands with henna. The celebration for Eid begins the night before as women gather in neighbourhoods and large family gatherings for the application of henna.

In some countries, families visit graveyards to offer their respects to departed family members right after the morning prayers.

It is common for Muslim-majority countries to decorate their cities with lights and hold festivities to commemorate the end of the fasting month.

Eid amid the onslaught in Gaza

For some 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza this Eid, this will be the first Muslim religious holiday after more than 33,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks. With little food aid, and very limited water, Gaza’s Eid al-Fitr will be mired in destruction amid the continuing attacks.

What are common Eid greetings?

The most popular greeting is “Eid Mubarak” (Blessed Eid) or “Eid sa’id” (Happy Eid). Eid greetings also vary depending on the country and language.

The video below shows how people say Eid Mubarak in different languages around the world.