when did the common travel area start

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‘All EU Need To Know’: The Common Travel Area Explained

• ‘All EU Need To Know’:…

What is the Common Travel Area?

The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an open borders area comprising the UK (including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) and Ireland. Within the CTA, Irish and British citizens can travel freely with minimal controls at borders.  The CTA tends to be associated as well with the ‘special status’ afforded to Irish nationals resident in the UK and UK nationals resident in Ireland.

For example, Irish citizens entering the UK from within the CTA are treated as if they have permanent permission to remain in the UK from the date they take up ‘ordinary residence’ there, and UK citizens are entitled to live in Ireland without conditions or restrictions.  As part of the ‘special status’ of Irish citizens in the UK, Irish citizens over the age of 18 and resident in the UK had the right to vote in the UK’s EU referendum in 2016.

When and why was the Common Travel Area established?

The CTA has been in operation since 1923 and is linked to the establishment of the Irish Free State. The CTA therefore pre-dates Ireland and the UK’s membership of the EU, both countries having joined the then European Economic Communities (EEC) only in 1973.

In written evidence to the UK House of Lords European Union Committee, Professor Bernard Ryan has explained its establishment:

“Common travel area arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Irish state date from the foundation of the Irish state. The durability of those arrangements reflects the recognition on the part of the British and Irish authorities of the difficulty of operating effective immigration control at the Irish land border. A second factor is the desire to enable freedom of travel between all parts of the United Kingdom and the Irish state.”

The CTA was suspended in 1939 following the outbreak of the Second World War, immigration controls applied to travel between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. In 1952, the CTA was restored following an administrative agreement between Ireland and the UK.

How is the Common Travel Area legislated for?

Despite its long existence, the first legal recognition of the CTA came when the Treaty of Amsterdam entered into force in 1999.  A special protocol annexed to the European Treaties at the time of the Amsterdam treaty confirmed that Ireland and the UK would not be part of the Schengen area of open borders.  The Protocol also provided that the two states could “continue to make arrangements between themselves relating to the movement of persons between their territories (the Common Travel Area)”.

In Irish immigration law, any person who is not an Irish or British citizen is classed as a ‘non-national’, while Irish nationals have a special status in UK law which pre-dates and is distinct from their rights as EU citizens.

What does the Common Travel Area allow?

Irish citizens and UK citizens hold a number of rights in each other’s countries due to reciprocal arrangements made between the UK and Ireland which are associated with the CTA.

These include: the right to freely enter and live in each other’s state; the right to work without needing to get a work permit; access to social welfare entitlements benefits, social housing and health services; and the ability to vote in and stand in local and parliamentary elections.

Currently, Irish citizens living in the UK, and UK citizens living in Ireland, also have free movement rights in each other’s states due to their status as EU citizens.

Will the Common Travel Area continue after Brexit?

Both the Irish and UK governments have stated their commitment to maintaining the CTA post-Brexit.

Reacting to the UK’s vote to leave the EU on 24 June 2016, then-Taoiseach, Enda Kenny said: “The Irish Government will do our utmost in upcoming discussions to maintain the Common Travel Area and minimise any possible disruptions to the flow of people, goods and services between these islands.” While, UK Prime Minister, Theresa May said in her speech at Lancaster House in January 2017, that maintaining the CTA was “an important priority for the UK”.

EU and UK negotiators have agreed that CTA arrangements between Ireland and the UK can continue after Brexit.  The Joint Report released in December 2017 states that: “Both Parties recognise that the United Kingdom and Ireland may continue to make arrangements between themselves relating to the movement of persons between their territories (Common Travel Area).”

Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar has also stated recently that he is confident the CTA will be maintained post-Brexit:

“Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. However, I am confident that, no matter what happens, the Common Travel Area will remain in place . . . The European Union has taken the view that we can continue that.”

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Explainer: What is the Common Travel Area?

The arrangement permits travel and other benefits between britain and ireland.

The Common Travel Area is based on a collection of legal provisions rather than on an international treaty or concrete agreement. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

What is the Common Travel Area?

It is an arrangement that permits ease of travel and other benefits such as reciprocal residency for immigrants, between the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It dates from 1922 when the Irish Free State chose to operate the same travel restrictions as the UK.

On what legal basis is it established?

The Common Travel Area is based on a collection of legal provisions rather than on an international treaty or concrete agreement. There is no single legal agreement establishing its arrangements.

How did it come about?

The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, establishing the Irish Free State’s independence from the UK, did not contain arrangements for cross-border travel, though this continued as Ireland remained part of the British Empire as a Crown Dependency. The UK and Irish Free State agreed an administrative understanding in 1922 that maintained free movement of people. Ireland remaining part of the Commonwealth meant Irish nationals could live and work in Britain as any other British subject.

This backstop fell away with Ireland’s declaration as a Republic and departure from the Commonwealth with the passing of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 that came into force in April 1949.

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London responded with the 1949 Ireland Act that afforded special status to Irish citizens within the UK and which resulted in Ireland generally not being treated as a “foreign country” under UK law.

The modern Common Travel Area came into force in 1952 when, against the backdrop of post-war labour shortages in the UK and emigration pressures in Ireland, an informal agreement was built into UK and Irish law by statutory instrument. This was done quietly due to the political sensitivities in Ireland over concerns it would be seen as undermining independence and restoring subservience to London.

How can it be protected post-Brexit?

Four academics have recommended that the best way to safeguard the Common Travel Area is for an agreement to be reached between Ireland and the UK.

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• What Is The Common Travel Area?

The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an open borders area between the United Kingdom (including England, Scotland, and Northern Island), the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, composed of the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey, are British Crown Dependencies.

Purpose of the Common Travel Area

The primary purpose of the common travel area is to necessitate trade and tourism to be carried out within the nations within which are part of the area with minimal border documents. Citizens can cross with only their identity cards. The decision was made by a considerable agreement and co-operation of the immigration departments between the British and Irish authorities.

Background of the Common Travel Area

The idea to create a common travel area between Britain and Ireland started back in the 1920s. In 1923, an agreement was reached that each state would enforce the other immigration laws to create a region whereby the Irish citizens would be accepted to cross to Britain with minimum control measure and vice-versa. The agreement brought about an action in which the Irish citizens would be provided with a copy of Britain's suspect codex. The agreement deemed Ireland a free state as part of the more significant United Kingdom for the immigrational purposes. However, the treaty or the deal was suspended in 1939 when war broke out. The suspension of the agreement led to the travel restrictions being enforced, and the Common Travel Area was therefore not functional at that time.

In 1952, the British government made a CTA legislation for the first time. This legislation agreed that any foreigner was to be denied access to Ireland through the ?UK and vice-versa.

The Common Travel Area has undergone a series of different legislation over the years, and in 2008 the Common Travel Area included Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Ireland as a whole. From 2016 to 2017, the UK carried out a referendum to exit from Brexit. However, in June 2017, the United Kingdom policy papers stated that the government of UK had an evident desire to protect the common travel area. The government decided because the Irish citizens who live or work in the United Kingdom would not require applying for new settlement status.

Identity and Immigration Requirements

The checks for immigration across the common travel area are carried out by Guernsey Border Agencies on people coming into the country through the channels island and not through the common travel areas. Furthermore, the checks for immigration are carried out by each specific state within the travel are. For example, for the United Kingdom, the agency that handles immigration status of the passengers is the United Kingdom Force.

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This fact was correct when it was updated on 21 Sep 2020

What is the Common Travel Area?

The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an agreement between the UK and Ireland (including the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) that allows citizens from either country to travel freely between both without the need for passport checks, as well as offering certain voting and welfare rights. While both countries were members of the EU the right to travel freely was also guaranteed by EU free movement rights. The CTA pre-dates either country’s membership of the EU by decades and means that citizens from both countries retain their rights deriving from this agreement with the UK outside the EU.

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The CTA Background

• Paul McMahon

The Common Travel Area

The Common Travel Area did not formally involve aligned immigration rules. However, it involved sufficient alignment and continuing cooperation between the immigration authorities of Ireland and the UK.

The CTA was largely subsumed under the common EU freedom of movement rights when both joined the EEC in 1973. However, it did continue in the sense that Ireland and UK always afforded each others’ citizens right which were not accorded to other EU states.

The Common Travel Area commenced upon establishment of the Irish Free State on 6th December 1922. Until 1939 there was mutual recognition of immigration permission granted to aliens travelling to the other state.

Between 1939 and 1952 there were immigration controls for travel between the Island of Ireland and Great Britain. They were removed in 1952 after an administrative agreement regarding cooperation in relation to entry by aliens.

Under the (UK) Government of Ireland Act, 1949, Ireland is not a foreign country. Immigration control does not apply to persons arriving from the Republic of Ireland under the Immigration Act. Irish citizens and others arriving from Ireland are presumed to have leave to enter.

Such others do not necessarily have leave to enter, including nationals of states requiring a UK visa who do not hold a visa. Certain persons are deemed to have leave as a visitor for three months including, in particular, those from UK visa exempt states.

Originally, the UK immigration legislation exempted Irish citizens only. In 2014, EEA and Swiss nationals and family members with EU free movement rights are now included.

Under Irish law, British citizens are not deemed non-nationals. Irish Immigration control applies to non-nationals who arrive from the United Kingdom by air and sea. Immigration control may be applied to those arriving by land who must obtain immigration permission within one month unless covered by EU free movement rights.

Ireland and the United Kingdom cooperate on immigration control. In effect, they coordinate their visa policies. There has recently been some formal mutual recognition of visas in relation to visas for China and India national.

Schengen Opt-Out

Protocol 20 to the European Union Treaties, provides that the UK and Ireland may continue to maintain their special common travel arrangements. In particular, it facilitated the continuing opt out of the Schengen Area Agreements. The key legislation on Schengen visas and common Schengen immigration control does not apply.

The UK is entitled to and maintains the right to adopt measures and exercise control at its frontiers of person seeking to enter the United Kingdom by verifying the right to enter of citizens of Member States and their dependents exercising rights conferred by EU law and citizens of other states on whom such rights have been conferred by agreement, in determining whether or not such persons have permission to enter the UK.

The Protocol also confirms that Ireland and UK may continue to make arrangements between themselves in relation to the movement of persons between their territories described as the Common Travel Area while respecting the rights of persons entitled to enter.There are operational arrangements within the UK to identify and arrest illegal immigrants coming to it from Ireland at the border.

Other Member States are entitled to exercise at their frontiers or other points of entry into their territory, such controls on a person seeking to enter their territory from the United Kingdom (or other territories whose external relations are its responsibility) for the same purposes (verifying entitlement). This also applies to persons arriving from Ireland for as long as the protocol applies to Ireland.

It has been said by a Professor of Migration Law that the continuation of the Common Travel Area arrangements appears to be compatible with EU law. It has been suggested that Brexit is an opportunity for comprehensive a formal Common Travel Area agreement.

Irish Citizens Rights in the UK (and vice versa)

Irish citizens became subject to UK immigration laws since the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962. It was principally aimed at the control of Commonwealth citizens, who did not have a pre-existing connection with the UK. Entry controls did not in fact apply to the Republic of Ireland after 1962 nor were any effective limits placed.

Irish citizens are effectively treated as settled in the UK from the date they take up ordinary residence. They may then naturalise after five years residence. They and their children born in the UK are British citizens.

The UK Parliamentary Committee reports have expressed the view that it is imperative that the long-standing rights of UK and Irish citizens to reside and work in each other’s countries are retained.

The British Irish Agreement expresses the intention of UK and Ireland to develop still further the unique relationship between their peoples in close cooperation between their countries as friendly neighbours and partners in the European Union. The Agreement contains several references to the European Union.

The Effect of Brexit

Brexit brings the risk of divergence between the UK and Irish immigration policies. The EU has acquired an enhanced role in immigration matters and in defining the rights of third-country nationals within the EU. Ireland and UK have opted out of most of these provisions.

The EU rules cover family members of persons exercising EU rights of free movement and EU citizenship rights. Questions may be raised in the event of divergence as to whether Northern Ireland immigration policy might remain synchronised with that of Republic of Ireland and the EU.

Ireland and the UK opt-outs from the Schengen Area Home Affairs and Justice provisions are likely to continue post-Brexit. The UK and the EU have committed to the continuation and maintenance of the Common Travel Area both in the EU  Negotiation Principles and the UK withdrawal letter.

The UK and Ireland are likely to seek to define and give more detailed expression to the Common Travel Area, which goes beyond free movement to include mutual immediate rights to settle in the other jurisdiction.

The most likely outcome is that the Common Travel Area will be preserved without entry or exit checks between Ireland and the UK,  even if differences in immigration rules between Ireland and the UK emerge. This may involve sharing of data and controls at the entry point to the Common Travel Area.

It is argued that Ireland would not need to enforce UK immigration policy in that illegal immigrants may readily enter the UK or Ireland in many ways, including as short-term visitors in any event. There is a range of detailed immigration control measures in the UK which were greatly enhanced in the period immediately before Brexit.

It is likely that the UK will continue to admit EU nationals without visas in any event and may introduce generous terms in relation to residence, work and study. If the UK applied immigration visas to some EU states, this may put pressure on the feasibility of continuing the Common Travel Area. Ireland must continue to afford free movement rights to other EU citizens subject to the limitations of the Common Travel Area.

As currently expressed the protocol does not cut across the rights of other EU citizens. The  CTA itself is recognized as a matter of important public policy sufficient to qualify the general free movement provisions

Possible Issues with Continuation

Ireland and the UK effectively accord each other’s nationals, full free movement rights immediately without any waiting period. This gives immediate rights to reside, rights to remain and right to avail of each other’s social systems. It also gives the rights to vote in elections and referenda.

The maintenance of the Common Travel Area may come under pressure in due course as it necessitates continuing differentiation and carves out from the basic EU  free movement and equality principles which are expressed in the Treaty and potentially invalidate any provision to the contrary.

Generally, EU, anti-discrimination and equality provisions require that a state ( in this case Ireland) affords no less favorable treatment to EU nationals than to its own citizens (much less third country nationals).

Intrinsically the Common Travel Area arrangements delimit the general EU rights and principles of equality.  This may raise issues under the EU Treaties. The Common Travel area is recognised as a matter of policy by way of exception to general rights. The EU treaties allow for exceptions on very narrow ground of public policy.

The same principles will be required to be acknowledged in respect of any new agreement or arrangements between Ireland and the UK. Ireland may not be entitled to treat UK citizens any more favorably than citizens of EU states unless specifically provided under EU law.

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The Common Travel Area explained

The Common Travel Area, often referred to as the CTA, is an agreement between the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies – Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

Under the agreement, Irish and British citizens are able to enjoy freedom of movement and other benefits when travelling with the CTA.

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Regions included and not included in the cta arrangements.

The CTA covers the following:

• United Kingdom (England, Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland);
• Ireland (Republic of);
• Isle of Man;
• Guernsey; and

It is important to be aware that all other British Overseas Territories, such as Gibraltar, are not part of the Common Travel Area agreement.

The Common Travel Area and Brexit

The CTA is not dependent on British and Irish membership of the European Union (EU) and actually pre dates the creation of the union and therefore the free movement rights granted under the CTA arrangements are not voided by Brexit.

Following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, the British and Irish governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding to confirm the long standing arrangement and commitment to maintain the CTA and the rights that are granted with it.

Such rights mean that British and Irish citizens have the right to live, study, work and access healthcare and public services freely across the CTA without having to apply for immigration permission. However, it is important to realise that these freedoms only apply to British or Irish citizens – other foreign nationals will have to apply for the relevant visas.

Travelling within the CTA

For citizens from Ireland and the UK they are not subject to passport controls when travelling with the CTA. However, this does not mean they do not show ID to border controls.

They may be asked by an immigration officer to prove they are a citizen of Ireland or the UK and this is usually done by showing a passport from the appropriate state.

The CTA arrangements also means there is co-operation between both Ireland and the UK’s immigration services. For example, Irish border control could refuse someone permission to enter Ireland if they suspect they are travelling on to the UK but would not qualify for entry.

What Rights Are Granted via the CTA?

Education and work rights.

Under the CTA if you are a British or Irish citizen they you are able to work in the region without permission – this includes undertaking any self-employment work in the Common Travel Area.

The agreement also means that both governments will recognise professional qualifications from either country and therefore, it is easier for Irish and UK citizens to find appropriate employment suitable to their skills.

British or Irish citizens also have equal rights to access education in either country. The Irish and UK governments have also ensured that citizens can access a range of student support including student loans and other financial funds.

Rights to access social security benefits

Both British and Irish citizens are entitled to access social security benefits and other public funds within the CTA. However, it is important to realise that citizens can only be subject to one country’s social security legislation at a time.

This means it is only possible to pay into one region’s social security scheme at one time – meaning you are entitled to the same social security rights benefits granted to all citizens of that state – this includes pensions.

There is a strong bilateral agreement between UK and Irish governments to ensure that these rights to public funds will continue to be protected.

Do you need help applying for a British passport? Our lawyers can assist you. Get in touch

Health Care, Social Housing Support, and Voting Rights Covered by the CTA Arrangements

A key advantage of the CTA is that Irish and UK citizens have the right to access health care wherever there are residing. This means Irish citizens visiting or living in the UK can receive NHS treatment and vice-versa.

The same access is also given to Irish and British citizens in terms of social housing, supported housing or support if homeless.

The Common Travel Area agreement also extends to voting rights, with Irish nationals and UK citizens entitled to register to vote in both local or national parliamentary elections – assuming they fulfil all other criteria such as being of voting age etc.

How Can We Help?

IAS can offer advice sessions, where one of our lawyers will discuss your circumstances with you. This session will give you the chance to ask our lawyers any questions you may have about citizenship.

Our immigration attorneys can also assist you with your British Citizenship application and will ensure that you are able to keep your American nationality when guiding you through each stage of your application process. We offer a number of services to assist you with this.

If you choose to get the help of IAS, you will be assigned a caseworker who will work with you one-on-one to gather and organize your supporting evidence. Your immigration attorney will also submit a detailed Letter of Representation to support your application, liaise with the UK government on your behalf.

Our IAS attorneys will take care of every aspect of your application, for more details about the services our attorneys offer speak to one of our immigration experts today on +1 844 290 6312.

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Last modified on December 9th, 2022 at 6:21 am

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Common Travel Area: rights of UK and Irish citizens

Information for UK and Irish citizens on their rights under the Common Travel Area arrangements (CTA).

Common Travel Area guidance

The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a long-standing arrangement between the UK, the Crown Dependencies (Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man) and Ireland that pre-dates both British and Irish membership of the EU and is not dependent on it.

Under the CTA, British and Irish citizens can move freely and reside in either jurisdiction and enjoy associated rights and privileges, including the right to work, study and vote in certain elections, as well as to access social welfare benefits and health services.

The UK and Irish governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in May 2019 reaffirming our commitment to maintain the CTA, and the associated rights and privileges, in all circumstances. On signing the MoU, both governments released a Joint Statement .

Amendment to section 5 in the attachment, on Accessing healthcare in the Common Travel Area: eligible cross-border workers and those exporting a state pension or exportable benefit may be able to have healthcare paid for.

Updated information on use of ID cards to enter the UK if you're an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.

Updated information for Irish citizens travelling to the UK from Ireland or the Crown Dependencies.

Updated the section 'Irish Citizens and the EU Settlement Scheme' (EUSS). It now gives information on family members applying for status in the UK from 1 July 2021 onwards, which is after the end of the EUSS grace period.

Added the use of Irish passport cards to travel from Ireland to the UK. Added guidance for family members from the EU, EEA or Switzerland on the use of national ID cards from 1 October 2021.

Updated for end of EU transition.

Updated to add guidance relating to the eligibility of Irish citizens to apply for permission to come to the UK from 1 January 2021, including S2 healthcare visitors, service providers from Switzerland, and frontier workers.

First published.

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• 12th June 2023
• BY Colin Yeo

Briefing: what is the Common Travel Area and how does it work?

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Page contents

Background to the Common Travel Area

The common travel area defined in law, position of irish citizens in uk immigration law, third country nationals and deemed leave, required to obtain leave, normal deemed leave restrictions do not apply.

The common travel area enables passport-free and legal travel between the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands for British and Irish citizens and migrants with lawful status. Once a person is within the common travel area, there are no routine passport checks on local travel between the United Kingdom and other constituent parts of the area, whether travelling by sea or air, and no checks at all on travel by land between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom province of Northern Ireland. Some passport checks do take place on travel by air or sea but these are said by the United Kingdom government to be targeted and ‘intelligence led’.

It is simple not to check passports. It is less simple to make sure that those permitted to cross the border are not breaking the law when they do so.

The fundamental idea of the common travel area is that immigration checks are conducted when a person enters the area from outside it but checks are not carried out on travel within the area.

Each of the constituent entities — the UK, Ireland, each of the islands — operate their own legal systems and immigration laws, although the immigration laws for the islands are largely derived from those of the United Kingdom. Provision is made for mutual recognition of immigration status between the United Kingdom and the islands but, with one exception, not between Ireland and the rest of the common travel area. The exception is the British-Irish visa scheme , which allows for a single joint visit visa for travel to both countries.

It is a complex arrangement that, as Bernard Ryan’s work has shown, evolved from non-statutory administrative agreements between the governments of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland dating back to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. As Ireland achieved independence, the two states agreed not to introduce immigration border checks on travel for each other’s citizens. To make this work in practice, they also agreed to share information about travellers and broadly to enforce one another’s immigration laws and policies.

In the United Kingdom, for example, immigration officials are empowered to refuse permission to enter to a person intending to travel to another part of the common travel area if the official suspects the traveller will not acceptable to the immigration authorities there. Administrative policy is for the official concerned to contact the authorities of the relevant part of the common travel area for advice before issuing such a refusal and to record the response in writing.

In the United Kingdom, the legislative expression of the contemporary common travel area is far from clear. On the face of it, section 1(3) of the Immigration Act 1971 purports to exempt from immigration control all travellers entering the country from within the common travel area:

“[a]rrival in and departure from the United Kingdom on a local journey from or to any of the Islands (that is to say, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) or the Republic of Ireland shall not be subject to control under this Act, nor shall a person require leave to enter the United Kingdom on so arriving, except in so far as any of those places is for any purpose excluded from this subsection under the powers conferred by this Act”.

No distinction is made here between British, Irish or third country nationals.

A local journey is defined as one that begins and ends exclusively within the common travel area; it excludes a journey made by a ship or aircraft which began or will end its journey or has called or will call during its voyage at a place outside the common travel area.

For many years, the position of Irish citizens in United Kingdom immigration law was unclear . Entry from Ireland itself or elsewhere in the common travel area would exempt an Irish citizen from United Kingdom immigration controls but entry from France or any other country would not. Administrative policy was to not apply immigration controls to Irish citizens at all; this was legally dubious given the mandatory nature of those controls.

In practice this mattered little while the United Kingdom and Ireland were both members of the European Union because free movement laws provided a separate, overlying right of entry and residence.

In order to resolve the potential issues that might arise upon the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, a new section 3ZA was added to the Immigration Act 1971 with effect from 31 December 2020 to state unambiguously that an Irish citizen ‘does not require leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom’ unless the they are the subject of an extant deportation or exclusion order.

This provision is separate to the implementation of the common travel area, although it is certainly consistent with and gives life to the policy behind it.

It is only therefore third country nationals who find themselves relying on the common travel area, meaning nationals of countries outside the common travel area.

The position of third country nationals entering the United Kingdom from the common travel area on a local journey is addressed primarily by the Immigration (Control of Entry through Republic of Ireland) Order 1972, made under section 9 of the Immigration Act 1971. No up-to-date and amended version of this is publicly available as far as I know.

Other key instruments of immigration control, including the immigration rules and the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000 , also make provision for the operation of the common travel area in practice.

Broadly, the policy intention is that a third country national who is lawfully present in another part of the common travel area and is not a visa national may enter the United Kingdom without needing formal leave to enter.

They will instead automatically, by operation of law, have imposed on them a time limit and condition on their stay which are legally equivalent to leave to enter. It is sometimes referred to as ‘deemed leave’. The time limit is six months and the condition is a general prohibition on working. Business activities general visitors are permitted to undertake, such as attendance at meetings, negotiating and signing contracts and similar, is permitted. The deemed leave lapses when the person departs from the United Kingdom.

The same approach is adopted to a person who has limited leave in the United Kingdom, travels directly to Ireland, their leave expires while they are in Ireland and they re-enter the United Kingdom from directly from Ireland.

This all falls notably short of the hollow promise at section 1(3) of the Immigration Act 1971 that travellers from within the common travel area will be free from control.

To make matters worse, there are then two classes of exception to the general approach. The first requires some travellers to obtain a formal grant of ordinary leave before entering. This is not really about actually granting leave or about physically presenting entry — which is impossible without passport controls — but rather about illegalising those who enter even though they should not. The second exception enable some travellers to enter without the normal restrictions imposed by deemed leave.

Exceptions to deemed leave

The first class of exception requires travellers to obtain leave to enter, failing which they become an illegal entrant upon entering. Given the nature of the exceptions, leave to enter is unlikely to be granted if sought.

Even where a person in this situation might potentially be eligible for leave to enter, obtaining it in practice may prove challenging. For example, a person might arrive by ferry at night where there are no immigration officers on duty or available to seek out at the relevant port in order to obtain leave.

Section 9 of the Immigration Act 1971 sets out the broad exceptions identified at the time the legislation was drafted. Lawful entry without leave from the common travel area does not apply to

• any person subject to a deportation order (including an Irish citizen)
• those who are notified on arrival that they are subject to a personal exclusion order; and
• those who have previously been refused leave in the United Kingdom and have not since then been granted leave.

Deportation orders against Irish citizens are extremely unusual in practice but remain possible in law. Personal exclusion orders at the direction of the Home Secretary need to be served on the person on their arrival for this exclusion to take effect, which may be unlikely in practice.

A further set of people are required by the Immigration (Control of Entry through Republic of Ireland) Order 1972 (no up-to-date version is publicly available as far as I know) to obtain leave, else they enter unlawfully:

• those who enter Ireland as air transit passengers from outside the common travel area
• are a visa national according to the United Kingdom immigration rules and have no valid visa
• enter Ireland unlawfully from outside the common travel area (including by use of deception even if undetected)
• left the United Kingdom with no leave when it was required and re-enter from the Ireland without admission or leave being granted in the meantime
• are excluded from entry to or residence in the United Kingdom by international obligations
• were refused admission or subject to a removal decision under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 or the Citizens’ Rights (Frontier Worker) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and have not subsequently been granted admission or leave; or
• are a S2 health visitor in accordance with the Citizens’ Right Agreements with the EU, the other EEA states and Switzerland.

To make things even more complicated, where a person falling into one of these categories enters on this basis and receives six months of deemed leave then leaves and returns to the United Kingdom again without having left the common travel area, they are automatically granted two months of deemed leave.

The second much smaller set of exceptions enable the traveller to enter without leave AND do not impose the normal deemed leave limitations on the person’s stay in the United Kingdom. These are outlined or introduced by the Immigration (Control of Entry through Republic of Ireland) Order 1972.

No time limit or restrictions are applied to

• British or Irish citizens or those with the right of abode in the United Kingdom
• those who are exempt from control, such as diplomats
• those who have been granted pre-settled or settled status under Appendix EU to the Immigration Rules (or have a pending application)
• a frontier worker as defined in the Citizens’ Rights (Frontier Workers) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020; or
• a person who has advance leave to enter under the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 1972 or has non-lapsing leave under that order.

Those who enter the United Kingdom on a local journey from Ireland in order to undertake a permitted paid engagement are automatically authorised to stay for one month rather than the normal six months of deemed leave. During that time they may undertake and be paid for the relevant engagement but no other work. If, having already entered on this basis, they leave the United Kingdom again, remain within the common travel area and then re-enter the United Kingdom, they will be subject to a maximum further stay on seven days and they may undertake the permitted paid engagement but no other work.

The modern common travel area is undoubtedly complex in its legal implementation. It’s a huge mess, quite frankly, and most of the operable law is unavailable to the public in any meaningful form.

In practice, though, the common travel area works smoothly for the vast majority of travellers, most of whom are British or Irish or are lawfully resident in or passing through a common travel area country and therefore benefit from the deemed leave approach.

Where a person enters the United Kingdom in breach of the common travel area system, either knowingly or unknowingly, they will usually be undetected because of the absence of routine passport checks. Some will be able to leave again in the same way and others will remain unlawfully resident.

Some unfortunate individuals may inadvertently fall foul of the way the common travel area operates by overstaying their deemed leave. With no official record of their entry, no signal as to their automatic period of stay or the conditions attached to it and no written statement of when they must leave, it is easy to end up in this situation.

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Common Travel Area: What is it, and how can it help travellers without a passport?

Exclusive: you can travel where you wish within the cta, but you are expected to carry some id, article bookmarked.

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Many travellers are concerned about potential delays in renewing their passports ahead of journeys this spring and summer.

A five-week strike by members of the PCS union working at HM Passport Office is under way, with 1,000 staff on strike in a dispute over Civil Service pay.

In addition, the Home Office has revealed it has no intention of reducing the current advice that travellers should allow 10 weeks for passport issue or renewal.

Since Brexit, rules for entering the European Union have become more complex with stipulations on the maximum age of a passport on departure to the EU (10 years) and the minimum validity on the day of return (three months).

As a result, some travellers may feel they are unable to venture overseas because they cannot guarantee having a valid document.

Yet thanks to agreements stretching back a century, British travellers can venture without a passport (subject to the airline’s policy) anywhere within the Common Travel Area (CTA). This comprises one EU nation – Ireland – as well as the “Crown Dependencies” of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. You could think of the arrangement as a “Schengen Area for the British Isles”. The UK government says the CTA “underpinned the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement”.

These are the key questions and answers.

When and how did the CTA come into being?

The Common Travel Area is an open-borders agreement that predates such arrangements in Continental Europe. It has its origins in the border deals made in 1923 when formalising links between the newly created Irish Free State and the United Kingdom – comprising England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It now also embraces the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey (including the smaller Channel Islands) and the Isle of Man, but not British Overseas Territories such as Gibraltar and Bermuda.

What benefits does it confer?

Numerically, by far the most significant benefits are for British and Irish citizens. They can “move freely between the UK and Ireland”. British citizens can work and take up residence in Ireland, and Irish citizens can do the same in the UK “without any requirement to obtain permission”. Professional qualifications are mutually recognised. And citizens of each country “have the right to access emergency, routine and planned publicly funded health services in each other’s state, on the same basis as citizens of that state”.

As a British citizen, what do I need to travel within the Common Travel Area?

To ireland from great britain (england, wales, scotland).

The Irish government says: “There is no requirement for Irish and British citizens to carry passports when travelling within the Common Travel Area.

“However, it is the case that airline carriers in many instances require all passengers to have a passport in their possession before allowing them to board aircraft. This is not an immigration requirement.”

Ryanair demands a passport for all travellers from Great Britain to Ireland. The airline says: “A valid passport is required for travel with Ryanair between Ireland and the UK. No exceptions will be made. Driving licences are not acceptable for travel with Ryanair between the UK and Ireland.”

British Airways says: “If you are a citizen of the UK or Republic of Ireland who was born in that country you do not need a passport to travel between the two countries but you do require some form of photographic identification, such as a driving licence. All other travellers require a valid passport to travel between the two countries.”

Aer Lingus says acceptable identification includes:

• Valid passport or Irish passport card
• Driver’s licence with photo
• International student card
• Government issued photo ID cards
• Health insurance cards with photo/social security cards with photo
• Bus pass with photo
• Work ID with photo

Ferry companies follow the Aer Lingus policy, broadly.

To Ireland from Northern Ireland

The Irish government says: “For journeys on and across the island of Ireland, British and Irish citizens do not require any travel documents.”

To the Isle of Man

No passport necessary.

To the Channel islands

No passport necessary, but “All visitors do require some form of photographic identification”.

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What Brexit means for future of the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK

Reader in Public Law, Newcastle University

Lecturer in Law, University of Birmingham

Disclosure statement

Colin Murray receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council to support the project “Performing Identities: Post-Brexit Northern Ireland and the reshaping of 21st-Century Governance" (Grant ES/S006214/1). This article does not reflect the views of the research council.

Ben Warwick receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council to support the project “Performing Identities: Post-Brexit Northern Ireland and the reshaping of 21st-Century Governance" (Grant ES/S006214/1). This article does not reflect the views of the research council.

University of Birmingham provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK.

Newcastle University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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They’ve done it. The UK and Ireland have agreed on something Brexit-related, written it down, and finalised it. Alas, the UK-EU withdrawal agreement remains mired in controversy, but that shouldn’t distract from the important stepping stones being put in place regarding the Common Travel Area between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

The Common Travel Area allows visa-free travel between the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands for all citizens. Beyond travel, related legislation in each member of the Common Travel Area has long allowed citizens of other members to be treated in most regards as if they are home citizens, for example for work or residency purposes.

The Common Travel Area was once touted as the solution to virtually every difficulty that Brexit posed for Ireland and Northern Ireland. Although both the UK and Ireland have facilitated cross-border travel for each others’ citizens for the best part of a century, our recent research has demonstrated this isn’t sufficient to keep the border open in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The arrangements have existed for decades in a patchwork of laws and policies. Besides a tweak to immigration policy in 2011, little attention has been given to the Common Travel Area, and EU free movement law has provided a more developed legal framework. For example, welfare provisions in Northern Ireland which disadvantaged cross-border workers were only fixed after litigation under EU law.

What’s needed after March 29, or Brexit day, is a clear legal basis for the Common Travel Area both in the UK and Ireland’s own legal systems, underpinned by an international agreement between the two countries.

Agreement on social security

In February 2019, a newly agreed memorandum of understanding (MoU) on social security belatedly started the process of solidifying these arrangements. For those whose lives straddle the border in Ireland or who move from the UK to Ireland (or vice versa), these new measures will provide some certainty over rights even in a no-deal Brexit scenario.

This agreement on social security equivalence is hugely important, particularly in providing a basis for shared rules. To know whether someone who claims benefits in Louth should be paid by the UK or Ireland currently relies on where that person is “habitually resident” . If, after Brexit, the two countries adopted substantially different rules, people could claim in both countries or get stuck in a gap where neither system considered them a resident.

This scenario is just the tip of the iceberg, and as many convoluted examples exist as there are complexities in people’s lives and patterns of work. This new MoU signals the start of a common, bilateral, understanding on these matters. Next, making sure that the benefits system is efficient and fraud is prevented will require data sharing across borders. In a no-deal scenario the UK would lose access to the EU database on social security, and provisions of the new MoU could rescue social security and pensions from complete chaos.

Alongside this MoU, a new immigration and social security bill before the UK parliament aims to tidy up Common Travel Area arrangements which predated the age of mass air travel. At the moment, a strict reading of the law would suggest that visa-free travel after Brexit would only apply when an Irish national travels directly to the UK from Ireland. The change would make an Irish national’s point of departure irrelevant, meaning they will enjoy access to the UK without a visa even if they arrived from another country such as France, or the United States.

Both countries want to make sure that UK and Irish nationals are treated like home citizens in most respects. Both governments have emphasised that the area existed before their countries’ EU membership and that its benefits should therefore continue after Brexit.

Still, these arrangements are no substitute for a comprehensive withdrawal agreement. First, this MoU only covers the UK and Ireland. Second, its full terms only cover UK and Irish nationals, meaning other EU nationals who have moved their lives between the two countries won’t benefit. Third, it doesn’t cover matters of trade or regulation, and because Ireland granted the EU competence to manage these issues, the two countries cannot address them bilaterally. All of these issues require the UK and EU to agree a future Brexit deal.

More work to do

Social security and pensions is just one area of rights related to the Common Travel Area, and other problems remain. Much is in the pipeline, but the UK and Ireland urgently need to finalise agreements across areas as diverse as security, health, and education.

The Common Travel Area and the rights associated with it reflect an important part of the two nations’ shared history, a reality that isn’t well served by multiple technical legal documents. One potential way to resolve this issue would be for Ireland and the UK to conclude a general framework agreement. This could restate their intention to treat UK and Irish nationals as equivalent to home citizens and to continue to use the Common Travel Area as the foundation of a close and co-operative relationship. Any relevant domestic law could be interpreted in light of these arrangements.

The recent MoU is a recognition that the two governments can be proactive in smoothing administrative bumps, even if the wider Brexit debate frequently presents them as being at loggerheads. But much more needs to be agreed before there can be any collective sigh of relief. The UK and Ireland might have decided who gets the Guinea pig in the divorce, but there’s still the matters of the kids, house and car.

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When is the next total solar eclipse in the US after 2024 and what is its path? What to know

The highly anticipated 2024 total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday , giving millions of sky-gazers the chance to see a rare cosmic event that won't be viewable again for 20 years.

The eclipse's  path of totality  will travel over a portion of northern Mexico before entering the U.S. It then it will cross 13 states  from Texas to Maine, where the spectacle is expected to attract huge crowds.

If you aren't lucky enough to be in the path of totality this time around, you will have another chance - you'll just have to wait until the 2040s.

Here's what we know about the next total solar eclipse to cross over the U.S.

Eclipse playlist: Fans return to Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' ahead of total solar eclipse

When is the next total solar eclipse visible from the U.S.?

It will be 20 years before there's a chance to  witness a total solar eclipse  in the United States again.

According to NASA, after Monday's total solar  eclipse , the next one viewable from the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044.

2044 total solar eclipse path of totality

Unfortunately, the 2044 total  solar eclipse  won't have the broad reach across the U.S. as the 2024 eclipse.

The path of totality during the 2044 eclipse will only touch three states, according to the Planetary Society, a nonprofit involved in research, public outreach, and political space advocacy.

The eclipse will begin in Greenland, sweep through Canada and end around sunset in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Pets and the eclipse: Will my pets be safe during the April 2024 solar eclipse? What experts say.

2045 solar eclipse

While the 2044 total eclipse will only touch three states, a 2045 eclipse will have a more robust path across the U.S.

Expected to occur on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2045, this solar eclipse will trace a path of totality over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

A partial solar eclipse will also be viewable in 35 other states, according to National Eclipse.com

What is a total solar eclipse?

Any celestial object like a moon or a planet that passes between two other bodies can create  an eclipse  by obscuring the view of objects like the sun.

In the event of a solar eclipse, the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching a small part of our planet. Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rare sight to behold.

Total eclipses can lead to a period of darkness lasting for several minutes, during which time nocturnal animals stir while confused birds and insects may fall silent, NASA says.

When a solar eclipse reaches totality, people are able to see the sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona, which is usually obscured by the sun's bright surface. This offers scientists an uncommon opportunity  to study the corona .

Totality also offers spectators a chance to gaze upon the spectacular sight with the naked eye, though  proper  safety  glasses  are still required for the rest of the time.

What states are on the 2024 eclipse path of totality?

Mexico's Pacific coast will be the first location in continental North America to experience totality, which is expected to occur at about 11:07 a.m. PDT,  according to NASA .

As the moon's shadow will northeast, totality in the U.S. will begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. CDT. The path will then cut diagonally across the country, traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

The eclipse's path is expected to end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. EDT before visiting the maritime provinces of Canada, according to estimates.

See  interactive maps of the 2024 path .

Contributing: Doyle Rice, Ramon Padilla & Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY

Advertisement

Map: 4.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes New Jersey

By William B. Davis ,  Madison Dong ,  Judson Jones ,  John Keefe ,  Bea Malsky and Lazaro Gamio

Shake intensity

A light, 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck in New Jersey on Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake was felt across the New York City metropolitan area, and from Philadelphia to Boston.

The temblor happened at 10:23 a.m. Eastern about 4 miles north of Whitehouse Station, N.J., data from the agency shows.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake's reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.

Aftershocks in the region

At 5:59 p.m. Eastern on Friday, a light aftershock with a magnitude of 3.8 struck near Gladstone, New Jersey, according to U.S.G.S. (The agency initially gave the quake a preliminary magnitude of 4.0.)

An aftershock is usually a smaller earthquake that follows a larger one in the same general area. Aftershocks are typically minor adjustments along the portion of a fault that slipped at the time of the initial earthquake.

Quakes and aftershocks within 100 miles

Aftershocks can occur days, weeks or even years after the first earthquake. These events can be of equal or larger magnitude to the initial earthquake, and they can continue to affect already damaged locations.

How this quake compares

The U.S.G.S. has logged 188 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.5 or greater within a 250-mile radius of New York City since 1957. In that timeframe, only seven have had a magnitude at or above 4.5. Today’s quake had the third-highest magnitude in the available data.

Today’s earthquake

Magnitude 4.8

250-mile radius

from New York City

Source: U. S.G.S.

By Lazaro Gamio

Source: United States Geological Survey | Notes: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake. All times above are Eastern. Shake data is as of Friday, April 5 at 10:44 a.m. Eastern. Aftershocks data is as of Wednesday, April 10 at 11:24 p.m. Eastern.

• Share full article

Did New Jersey just have an earthquake? Yes, in Hunterdon County. Aftershocks continue.

If you felt that, you're not alone.

A 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook up the region shortly before 10:30 a.m. Friday, followed by two aftershocks of magnitude 2 at 11:20 a.m. and magnitude 2.2 at 1:32 p.m.

Stay tuned for updated coverage .

Where was the earthquake?

The epicenter of the earthquake was in Whitehouse Station, Hunterdon County, at 10:23 a.m.

The earthquake was 4.77 kilometers north northeast of White House Station and the depth was five kilometers. People felt the rumble from Maine to Norfolk, Virginia, officials said.

▶▶ What do you need to do after an earthquake? Tips from Seismic Safety Commission

Will there be aftershocks?

Two aftershocks of magnitude 2 and magnitude 2.2 have struck since the quake, according to the United States Geological Survey. There is a small chance of an aftershock of 4.8-magnitude or greater, said Paul Earle of the United States Geological Survey.

This quake was felt by millions, Earle said, adding that East Coast quakes travel five times farther than West Coast quakes, because the rock here is harder.

When was the last earthquake in New Jersey?

The last earthquake in the Garden State was on March 15, measuring magnitude 2.2 struck near Whitehouse Station in Hunterdon County about 3 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 8.7 kilometers, the survey said.

Prior to March 15, the last earthquake in New Jersey was a 1.7-magnitude that occurred near the Lake Telemark section of Roxbury Township in Morris County in August 2022, according to the survey.

There have also been earthquakes at the Jersey Shore: a 2.2-magnitude at Tuckerton in June 2021; a 3.1-magnitude near Marlboro in September 2020; and a 1.4-magnitude that occurred near Keansburg in August 2017.

What was the strongest earthquake at Jersey Shore?

One of the strongest earthquakes at the Jersey Shore was a magnitude 3.8 quake that struck near Freehold on January 30, 1979.

“Objects were shaken from shelves and minor cracks were reported in masonry walls in a few towns near the epicenter” during that quake, according to the Northeast States Emergency Consortium.

Earthquakes of less than a magnitude 3 are considered weak quakes with little noticeable shaking, according to the California Earthquake Authority.

South River homes shake, branches knock, alarms triggered

In South River, the start of rumbling was accompanied by small knick-knacks and toys falling from shelves. 

While at first it seemed likely that a truck or construction vehicle was headed down the street, it soon became apparent that something else was at play.

The house continued to shake for 20 to 30 seconds, as the rumbling noises continued, branches knocked against the walls, roof and windows, clanging noises were heard from a metal chimney pipe and a glass break security alarm was triggered. 

The power remained on, and there was no apparent damage at an electrical substation on Southside Avenue nor at a neighborhood park on the street.

— Ilana Keller

Loud rumbling, shaking in Milltown 

In Milltown, about 30 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter, a loud rumbling noise accompanied shaking on Herbert Avenue in Milltown. A songbook fell off a piano inside one house.

Neighbors ran out of their homes and stood on lawns and porches asking each other what had just happened.

“It felt like my house was going to fall down,” said one resident. Another wondered if a residential construction project might have collapsed and caused the rumbling.

No visible damage was apparent on the block.

— Chris Jordan

Nothing felt while driving; Dishes shake in PA

"I didn’t feel it . I was driving somewhere between Howell & Neptune; My parents, who live in Yardley, Pa., said all of their dishes shook"

— Tanya Breen

NJ earthquake reaction on social media

Watch CBS News

What time the 2024 solar eclipse started, reached peak totality and ended

By Sarah Maddox

Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 5:04 AM EDT / CBS News

The 2024 solar eclipse will be visible across North America today. As the moon's position between the Earth and sun casts a shadow on North America, that shadow, or umbra, will travel along the surface from west to east at more than 1,500 miles per hour along the path of totality . 

That means the eclipse will start, peak and end at different times — as will the moments of total darkness along the path of totality — and the best time to view the eclipse depends on where you are located. Some places along the path will have more totality time than others.

In Texas, the south-central region had clouds in the forecast , but it was better to the northeast, according to the National Weather Service. The best eclipse viewing weather was expected in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, as well as in Canada's New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

What time does the 2024 total solar eclipse start?

The total solar eclipse will emerge over the South Pacific Ocean before the shadow falls across North America, beginning in parts of Mexico. The path of totality , where onlookers can witness the moon fully blocking the sun (through eclipse viewing glasses for safety ), is expected to first make landfall near the city of Mazatlán around 9:51 a.m. MT. 

The total solar eclipse will cross over the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas, where it will emerge over Eagle Pass at 12:10 p.m. CT and then peak at about 1:27 p.m. CT.

In Dallas, NASA data shows the partial eclipse will first become visible at 12:23 p.m. CT and peak at 1:40 p.m. CT. The next states in the path of totality are Oklahoma and Arkansas, where the eclipse begins in Little Rock at 12:33 p.m. CT. 

Cleveland will see the beginning of the eclipse at 1:59 p.m. ET. Darkness will start spreading over the sky in Buffalo, New York, at 2:04 p.m. ET. Then, the eclipse will reach northwestern Vermont, including Burlington, at 2:14 p.m. ET. Parts of New Hampshire and Maine will also follow in the path of totality before the eclipse first reaches the Canadian mainland  at 3:13 p.m. ET.

Although the experience won't be exactly the same, viewers in all the contiguous U.S. states outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial eclipse. Some places will see most of the sun blocked by the moon, including Washington, D.C., where the partial eclipse will start at 2:04 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:20 p.m. ET.

In Chicago, viewers can start viewing the partial eclipse at 12:51 p.m. CT, with the peak arriving at 2:07 p.m. CT.  In Detroit, viewers will be able to enjoy a near-total eclipse beginning at 1:58 p.m. ET and peaking at 3:14 p.m. ET.

New York City will also see a substantial partial eclipse, beginning at 2:10 p.m. ET and peaking around 3:25 p.m. ET.

In Boston it will begin at 2:16 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:29 p.m. ET.

The below table by NASA shows when the eclipse will start, peak and end in 13 cities along the eclipse's path.

What time will the solar eclipse reach peak totality?

Millions more people will have the chance to witness the total solar eclipse this year than during the last total solar eclipse , which was visible from the U.S. in 2017. 

The eclipse's peak will mean something different for cities within the path of totality and for those outside. Within the path of totality, darkness will fall for a few minutes. The longest will last more than 4 minutes, but most places will see between 3.5 and 4 minutes of totality. In cities experiencing a partial eclipse, a percentage of the sun will be obscured for more than two hours.

Mazatlán is set to experience totality at 11:07 am PT. Dallas will be able to see the moon fully cover the sun at 1:40 p.m. CT. Little Rock will start to see the full eclipse at 1:51 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 3:13 p.m. ET and Buffalo at 3:18 p.m. ET. Totality will reach Burlington at 3:26 p.m. ET before moving into the remaining states and reaching Canada around 4:25 p.m.

Outside the path of totality, 87.4% of the sun will be eclipsed in Washington, D.C. at 3:20 p.m. ET, and Chicago will have maximum coverage of 93.9% at 2:07 p.m. CT. New York City is much closer to the path of totality this year than it was in 2017; it will see 89.6% coverage at 3:25 p.m. EDT. 

Detroit is another city that will encounter a near-total eclipse, with 99.2% maximum coverage at 3:14 p.m. ET. Boston will see 92.4% coverage at 3:29 p.m. ET.

What time will the solar eclipse end?

The eclipse will leave continental North America from Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. NT, according to NASA.

At the beginning of the path of totality in Mazatlán, the eclipse will be over by 12:32 p.m. PT, and it will leave Dallas at 3:02 p.m. CT. The eclipse will end in Little Rock at 3:11 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 4:29 p.m. CDT and Buffalo at 4:32 p.m. ET. Burlington won't be far behind, with the eclipse concluding at 4:37 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, the viewing will end in Chicago at 3:21 p.m. CT, Washington, D.C. at 4:32 p.m. ET, and New York City at 4:36 p.m. ET. 

In Detroit, the partial eclipse will disappear at 4:27 p.m. ET, and in Boston, it will be over at 4:39 p.m. ET.

How long will the eclipse last in total?

The total solar eclipse will begin in Mexico at 11:07 a.m. PT and leave continental North America at 5:16 p.m. NT. From the time the partial eclipse first appears on Earth to its final glimpses before disappearing thousands of miles away, the celestial show will dazzle viewers for about 5 hours, according to timeanddate.com . 

The length of the total solar eclipse at points along the path depends on the viewing location. The longest will be 4 minutes and 28 seconds, northwest of Torreón, Mexico. Near the center of the path, totality takes place for the longest periods of time, according to NASA.

Spectators will observe totality for much longer today than during the 2017 eclipse , when the longest stretch of totality was 2 minutes and 32 seconds.

The moon's shadow seen on Earth today, called the umbra, travels at more than 1,500 miles per hour, according to NASA. It would move even more quickly if the Earth rotated in the opposite direction.

What is the longest a solar eclipse has ever lasted?

The longest known totality was 7 minutes and 28 seconds in 743 B.C. However, NASA says this record will be broken in 2186 with a 7 minute, 29 second total solar eclipse. The next total solar eclipse visible from parts of the U.S. won't happen until Aug. 23, 2044.

Sarah Maddox has been with CBS News since 2019. She works as an associate producer for CBS News Live.

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• International

Rare 4.8 magnitude quake rattles Northeast

By Elise Hammond , Leinz Vales and Matt Meyer , CNN

4.0 magnitude aftershock recorded in New Jersey, USGS says

From CNN's Brandon Miller

An aftershock of a preliminary magnitude 4.0 has struck just southwest of Gladstone, New Jersey, according to the United States Geological Survey .

It happened at about 5:59 p.m. ET, USGS said.

The aftershock comes nearly 8 hours after the main shock of 4.8 magnitude this morning. There have been at least 10 aftershocks, though most were in the 1.8 to 2.2 magnitude range.

No injuries or major damage in Northeast after morning quake in New Jersey. What to know to get caught up

From CNN staff

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake rattled buildings across parts of the US Northeast on Friday morning, according to the US Geological Survey, with tremors felt from Washington, DC to New York City and to Maine.

It was the third-largest earthquake recorded in the area in the last five decades and the strongest in New Jersey i n more than 240 years , the USGS said. But with authorities reporting little or no damage, and minimal travel disruptions, people soon resumed their everyday lives.

Here's what to know:

• New Jersey: Gov. Phil Murphy said there are limited reports of damage and "little to no injuries" in the state. The USGS recorded at least six aftershocks in the immediate area of the initial earthquake. In an area more than 30 miles from the epicenter, three neighboring homes in Newark were evacuated after residents reported structural damage, according to Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé.
• New York: Gov. Kathy Hochul said there were no "life-threatening situations" after the earthquake and no reports of damaged buildings . There was one report of a gas line leak, but so far there's no “major” infrastructure impact, state officials said . New York City Mayor Eric Adams also said there have not been any reports of injuries and told people to " go about their normal day ." Additionally, all aspects of the New York City transit system were operating safely, said Metropolitan Transport Authority CEO Janno Lieber.
• Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Police Department received "over 200 calls" from 911 "in a very short period of 20 minutes," following the earthquake, according to Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. But, there were no injuries reported in the city, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said.
• Connecticut: State officials did not report any significant damage. Emergency management officials said their operations center was partially activated as agencies inspected key infrastructure points.
• Travel: Runways at the three main airports servicing the New York City area were inspected and cleared, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Port Authority also said there were no operational or physical impacts to the bridges and tunnels. Amtrak said its trains were r unning at normal speeds after restrictions were put in place for track inspections.
• Widespread impact: The shaking was felt by millions of people across hundreds of miles of the Northeast — a phenomenon made more likely by a few factors, including the geology of the region itself, according to the USGS. Rocks in the eastern US are much older, denser and harder, making them more efficient conduits of the seismic energy released by an earthquake, allowing it to travel in a more potent form over longer distances, the USGS says.

Amtrak trains resume running at normal speeds

From CNN's Pete Muntean

Amtrak trains are back to operating at normal speeds after an earthquake in New Jersey on Friday, the company said.

It said it started inspecting its tracks shortly after 11 a.m. ET, and put speed restrictions in place throughout the region. Amtrak said it has now completed those inspections.

“As of 3:30 PM ET, All inspections have been completed and service has been restored to normal speed. Residual delays should be expected,” Amtrak  posted  on X.

At least 6 aftershocks recorded following New Jersey earthquake, USGS reports

From CNN’s Samantha Beech, Brandon Miller and Taylor Ward

There have been at least six aftershocks in the hours following the New Jersey earthquake Friday morning, according to United States Geological Survey data. 

The initial earthquake was felt in northern New Jersey just before 10:30 a.m. ET, and the aftershocks were all recorded in the immediate area of the earthquake, USGS said.

According to USGS, the largest of the six aftershocks was 2.2 magnitude, recorded just after 1:30 p.m. ET.

Here's a timeline (all times are ET):

• 10:23 a.m.: The initial 4.8 magnitude earthquake occurred
• 11:20 a.m.: 2.0 magnitude aftershock
• 11:37 a.m.: 1.8 magnitude aftershock
• 11:49 a.m.: 2.0 magnitude aftershock
• 12:31 p.m.: 1.8 magnitude aftershock
• 1:14 p.m.: 2.0 magnitude aftershock
• 1:32 p.m.: 2.2 magnitude aftershock

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a social media post that "aftershocks of these size are normal and are not expected to cause further damage."

The governor said there have been no reports of injuries or damage.

See how people in the Northeast reacted when the earthquake hit

From CNN's Jeremy Moorhead and Sean Clark

When an earthquake rattled buildings across the Northeast Friday morning, stunned residents described initially thinking a passing tractor-trailer or freight train was passing them before they realized it was something more.

There were reports of the 4.8 magnitude quake being felt from Philadelphia to New York City, according to the US Geological Survey.

See how some people reacted:

3 neighboring homes in New Jersey evacuated after reporting structural damage, offical says 

From CNN’s Nic F. Anderson and David Goldman

Three neighboring homes in Newark, New Jersey, have been evacuated after residents reported structural damage following this morning’s earthquake, according to the local public safety director. 

Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé told CNN no injuries have been reported after firefighters responded to reports of damage at the homes in an area more than 30 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter. 

He said 10 families were relocated from the buildings, including 25 adults and three children.

Fragé added that all Newark city buildings, including City Hall and recreation centers, are closed. He said the city is inspecting buildings for any potential damage and power outages. 

Also in New Jersey’s Essex County, in Montclair, officials believe the earthquake caused a water main break, according to an update from the Office of Emergency Management for the Township of Montclair. The OEM said the water bureau is working to repair the line. 

The Montclair OEM said authorities have conducted a damage assessment of the township and there are no signs of damage to the infrastructure and all schools and municipal properties report no damage.

Today's earthquake was the strongest in New Jersey in more than 240 years

From CNN's Elliana Hebert, Sara Tonks and Eric Zerkel

The rare 4.8 earthquake that struck northern New Jersey Friday was the third-strongest to strike the state, according to CNN analysis of US Geological Survey data.

The Friday morning earthquake also marked the strongest since 1783, more than 240 years ago. Two 5.1 magnitude temblors are the only stronger quakes in the state — one in 1755 and another in 1783. Both happened before New Jersey became a state in December 1787, but happened in the geographic area that now comprises the state's boundaries.

The quake is the third-strongest to hit the Northeast in 50 years and the 10th-strongest of all time in the region, USGS data shows.

Earthquakes in New Jersey and the region are rare. There have only been 24 earthquakes of 2.5 magnitude or greater in New Jersey since 1700.

All aspects of New York City transit system operating safely after earthquake, MTA chief says

From CNN's Samantha Beech

All aspects of the New York City transit system are operating safely following this morning’s earthquake, the Metropolitan Transport Authority, which runs the city's subway and other forms of public transit, said.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said every part of the transit system operated safely during the earthquake, as well.

He said initial facility inspections have been completed, including inspections of the seven bridges the MTA operate.

“I want to emphasize those were designed to withstand much stronger seismic impact than we experienced today,” he added.

According to the  MTA website , MTA Bridges and Tunnels (B&T) serves more than 900,000 vehicles on an average day. In 2019, it carried more traffic than any bridge and tunnel authority in the nation — more than 329 million vehicles, the MTA says. 

Lieber said MTA frontline staff have been directed to report any abnormalities in the system, but he said nothing had been flagged so far. 

There's a low likelihood of aftershocks following today's quake, New York City's emergency chief says

There is a low likelihood of aftershocks following Friday's 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled several Northeast cities, New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Iscol said. 

Iscol, however, urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant.

“If you are outside during an aftershock, please move to an open area, away from buildings, trees and power lines. If you are driving, pull over to a safe location," he said at a news conference Friday alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Iscol said there were no major impacts or safety events related to the earthquake, and added that New Yorkers can call 311 to report any damage. 

The quake, he said, triggered the activation of the city's emergency response teams and prompted officials to issue guidance to the public. 

“We activated our protocols for this earthquake, we immediately began coordinating with all city, state, federal and our utility partners. Public notifications were sent out both by Notify NYC and our wireless emergency alert system,” he said.

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Brexit Information

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The Common Travel Area

The Common Travel Area did not formally involve aligned immigration rules. However, it involved sufficient alignment and continuing cooperation between the immigration authorities of Ireland and the UK.

The CTA was largely subsumed under the common EU freedom of movement rights when both joined the EEC in 1973. However, it did continue in the sense that Ireland and UK always afforded each others’ citizens right which were not accorded to other EU states.

The Common Travel Area commenced upon establishment of the Irish Free State on 6th December 1922. Until 1939 there was mutual recognition of immigration permission granted to aliens travelling to the other state.

Between 1939 and 1952 there were immigration controls for travel between the Island of Ireland and Great Britain. They were removed in 1952 after an administrative agreement regarding cooperation in relation to entry by aliens.

Under the (UK) Government of Ireland Act, 1949, Ireland is not a foreign country. Immigration control does not apply to persons arriving from the Republic of Ireland under the Immigration Act. Irish citizens and others arriving from Ireland are presumed to have leave to enter.

Such others do not necessarily have leave to enter, including nationals of states requiring a UK visa who do not hold a visa. Certain persons are deemed to have leave as a visitor for three months including, in particular, those from UK visa exempt states.

Originally, the UK immigration legislation exempted Irish citizens only. In 2014, EEA and Swiss nationals and family members with EU free movement rights are now included.

Under Irish law, British citizens are not deemed non-nationals. Irish Immigration control applies to non-nationals who arrive from the United Kingdom by air and sea. Immigration control may be applied to those arriving by land who must obtain immigration permission within one month unless covered by EU free movement rights.

Ireland and the United Kingdom cooperate on immigration control. In effect, they coordinate their visa policies. There has recently been some formal mutual recognition of visas in relation to visas for China and India national.

Schengen Opt-Out

Protocol 20 to the European Union Treaties, provides that the UK and Ireland may continue to maintain their special common travel arrangements. In particular, it facilitated the continuing opt out of the Schengen Area Agreements. The key legislation on Schengen visas and common Schengen immigration control does not apply.

The UK is entitled to and maintains the right to adopt measures and exercise control at its frontiers of person seeking to enter the United Kingdom by verifying the right to enter of citizens of Member States and their dependents exercising rights conferred by EU law and citizens of other states on whom such rights have been conferred by agreement, in determining whether or not such persons have permission to enter the UK.

The Protocol also confirms that Ireland and UK may continue to make arrangements between themselves in relation to the movement of persons between their territories described as the Common Travel Area while respecting the rights of persons entitled to enter.There are operational arrangements within the UK to identify and arrest illegal immigrants coming to it from Ireland at the border.

Other Member States are entitled to exercise at their frontiers or other points of entry into their territory, such controls on a person seeking to enter their territory from the United Kingdom (or other territories whose external relations are its responsibility) for the same purposes (verifying entitlement). This also applies to persons arriving from Ireland for as long as the protocol applies to Ireland.

It has been said by a Professor of Migration Law that the continuation of the Common Travel Area arrangements appears to be compatible with EU law. It has been suggested that Brexit is an opportunity for comprehensive a formal Common Travel Area agreement.

Irish Citizens Rights in the UK (and vice versa)

Irish citizens became subject to UK immigration laws since the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962. It was principally aimed at the control of Commonwealth citizens, who did not have a pre-existing connection with the UK. Entry controls did not in fact apply to the Republic of Ireland after 1962 nor were any effective limits placed.

Irish citizens are effectively treated as settled in the UK from the date they take up ordinary residence. They may then naturalise after five years residence. They and their children born in the UK are British citizens.

The UK Parliamentary Committee reports have expressed the view that it is imperative that the long-standing rights of UK and Irish citizens to reside and work in each other’s countries are retained.

The British Irish Agreement expresses the intention of UK and Ireland to develop still further the unique relationship between their peoples in close cooperation between their countries as friendly neighbours and partners in the European Union. The Agreement contains several references to the European Union.

The Effect of Brexit

Brexit brings the risk of divergence between the UK and Irish immigration policies. The EU has acquired an enhanced role in immigration matters and in defining the rights of third-country nationals within the EU. Ireland and UK have opted out of most of these provisions.

The EU rules cover family members of persons exercising EU rights of free movement and EU citizenship rights. Questions may be raised in the event of divergence as to whether Northern Ireland immigration policy might remain synchronised with that of Republic of Ireland and the EU.

Ireland and the UK opt-outs from the Schengen Area Home Affairs and Justice provisions are likely to continue post-Brexit. The UK and the EU have committed to the continuation and maintenance of the Common Travel Area both in the EU  Negotiation Principles and the UK withdrawal letter.

The UK and Ireland are likely to seek to define and give more detailed expression to the Common Travel Area, which goes beyond free movement to include mutual immediate rights to settle in the other jurisdiction.

The most likely outcome is that the Common Travel Area will be preserved without entry or exit checks between Ireland and the UK,  even if differences in immigration rules between Ireland and the UK emerge. This may involve sharing of data and controls at the entry point to the Common Travel Area.

It is argued that Ireland would not need to enforce UK immigration policy in that illegal immigrants may readily enter the UK or Ireland in many ways, including as short-term visitors in any event. There is a range of detailed immigration control measures in the UK which were greatly enhanced in the period immediately before Brexit.

It is likely that the UK will continue to admit EU nationals without visas in any event and may introduce generous terms in relation to residence, work and study. If the UK applied immigration visas to some EU states, this may put pressure on the feasibility of continuing the Common Travel Area. Ireland must continue to afford free movement rights to other EU citizens subject to the limitations of the Common Travel Area.

As currently expressed the protocol does not cut across the rights of other EU citizens. The  CTA itself is recognized as a matter of important public policy sufficient to qualify the general free movement provisions

Possible Issues with Continuation

Ireland and the UK effectively accord each other’s nationals, full free movement rights immediately without any waiting period. This gives immediate rights to reside, rights to remain and right to avail of each other’s social systems. It also gives the rights to vote in elections and referenda.

The maintenance of the Common Travel Area may come under pressure in due course as it necessitates continuing differentiation and carves out from the basic EU  free movement and equality principles which are expressed in the Treaty and potentially invalidate any provision to the contrary.

Generally, EU, anti-discrimination and equality provisions require that a state ( in this case Ireland) affords no less favorable treatment to EU nationals than to its own citizens (much less third country nationals).

Intrinsically the Common Travel Area arrangements delimit the general EU rights and principles of equality.  This may raise issues under the EU Treaties. The Common Travel area is recognised as a matter of policy by way of exception to general rights. The EU treaties allow for exceptions on very narrow ground of public policy.

The same principles will be required to be acknowledged in respect of any new agreement or arrangements between Ireland and the UK. Ireland may not be entitled to treat UK citizens any more favorably than citizens of EU states unless specifically provided under EU law.

While the aspirations in respect of the maintenance of open borders in Ireland is part of the EU’s negotiating principles and the UK’s stated position, they will ultimately be subordinated to the inevitable consequences of the UK choosing to lead the single market and customs union

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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.

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A UTotal Solar Eclipse

Magnitude 4.8 earthquake hits NJ, rattles entire tri-state; 4.0 aftershock felt hours later

The u.s. geological survey said the quake hit 3.7 miles east-southeast of califon, in hunterdon county. no damage to buildings or injuries to people were reported. it was the strongest earthquake with an east coast epicenter since 1884, by jennifer millman , tom shea , lauren maroney and jennifer peltz • published april 5, 2024 • updated on april 5, 2024 at 9:53 pm, what to know.

• A magnitude 4.8 earthquake hit Hunterdon County, New Jersey, at 10:23 a.m. Friday -- and it reverberated across the entire tri-state area; there have been no reports of damaged buildings
• No injuries were reported; no earthquake of that magnitude has had an epicenter near NYC since 1884, according to the U.S. Geological Survey
• Hours later, a magnitude 4.0 aftershock hit the same area of New Jersey just before 6 p.m., according to the USGS. Further aftershocks will be unpredictable but are possible for the next week, experts say; if you find yourself in one, drop to the floor and cover your neck

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck New Jersey Friday, triggering frenzied phone calls from Manhattan to Albany to Long Island, Montclair and New Haven, as buildings rumbled in a region unaccustomed to the ground shaking — and that was before the area was hit with an aftershock almost as powerful.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the inital quake hit just over four miles north of Whitehouse Station, just below Tewksbury in Hunterdon County, about 40 miles west of New York City, at 10:23 a.m. It was a shallow earthquake, only 2.9 miles deep, which means an earthquake of that strength would be felt by a larger number of people. USGS put that number at 42 million.

"We're taking this extremely seriously," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, calling it the most powerful earthquake felt by the East Coast since at least 2011 and the strongest to hit the East Coast directly in the last century.

Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.

Perhaps most surprising: No injuries or any significant building damages were reported throughout the entire region.

For context, a magnitude 4.0 quake can be felt about 60 miles from the epicenter; a magnitude 5.5 quake can be felt from 300 miles from the center. This 4.8 one reverberated throughout the entire tri-state, and was felt as far away as Maryland and Maine, according to witness reports.

USGS reported "moderate" intensity near the epicenter, with light and weak shaking reported regionally.

Hours later, a magnitude 4.0 aftershock hit the same area of New Jersey just before 6 p.m., according to the USGS. The epicenter of the aftershock was said to be 7.4 miles northwest of Bridgewater, which is just over the county line in Somerset County. The aftershock was significantly deeper than the initial quake, about 5.6 miles deep, which explains why it wouldn't have been felt by as many people.

A much smaller aftershock, magnitude 2.0, was reported by the USGS in Bedminster, New Jersey, around 11:20 a.m. It was one of 12 aftershocks since the initial quake that have registered at least 1.8 or higher on the Richter scale, according to USGS geophysicist Timothy Clements. There may have been more, but any below 1.8 in magnitude would have been undetected.

Further aftershocks will be unpredictable but are possible for the next week, experts say. The USGS said there would be nearly a 50% probability of an aftershock magnitude 3.0 or more, a 16% of one magnitude 4.0 or more, and even a 3% chance of one that was more intense than the initial quake. If you find yourself in an aftershock, experts say you should drop to the floor and cover your neck.

Hochul said she directed her team to conduct damage assessments, including checking all state roads as well as major transmission lines and dams. The Democrat encouraged all municipalities to send crews for structural integrity assessments and vulnerable locations.

In New Jersey, there were few reports of damage, despite the epicenter being located there. There were three homes in along Seventh Avenue in Newark that saw structural damage after their roofs appeared to have collided during the shaking. Ten families, including 25 adults and three children, were relocated as a result.

Pictures and decorative plates tumbled off the wall in Christiann Thompson's house near Whitehouse Station, she said, relaying what her husband had told her by phone as she volunteered at a library.

“The dogs lost their minds and got very terrified and ran around," she said.

Whitehouse Station Fire Chief Tim Apgar said no injuries were reported, but responders fielded some calls from people who smelled gas. Nearby, the upper portion of the 264-year-old Col. John Taylor’s Grist Mill historic site collapsed onto a roadway, according to Readington Township Mayor Adam Mueller.

In New York City, people described feeling the quake as a slight vibration. Some thought it was just a subway rolling underground beneath them or construction nearby; others didn't feel it at all. A meeting at the United Nations was briefly disrupted. Hour-long ground stops were ordered at JFK and Newark airports to allow crews time to ensure the quake didn't cause any runway cracks, but no damage was found and those stops were lifted.

Traffic through the Holland Tunnel between Jersey City and lower Manhattan was stopped for about 10 minutes for inspections, the Port Authority of New York and Jersey said.

In midtown Manhattan, motorists blared their horns on shuddering streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a boom and felt their building shaking. Cellphone circuits were overloaded for a time as people tried to reach loved ones. Later, phones blared with earthquake-related notifications during the New York Philharmonic’s morning performance, where Anton Webern’s Six Pieces for Orchestra “literally ended with a cellphone alert,” said spokesperson Adam Crane.

The Department of Education sent messages to guardians of New York City Public School students ensuring them that their kids' were safest inside their classrooms, and that dismissal proceeded as usual later in the day.

The NYPD says all relevant emergency agencies were briefed on the situation, though impacts were minimal. Mayor Eric Adams said there were no reported safety or infrastructure problems, nor any disruptions to the power, water or gas system.

The mayor also said the Department of Buildings found no problems after conducting inspections, though the DOB will continue to look at all buildings in the coming days for any delayed cracks or other effects on the city's 1.1 million buildings. The department had not received any calls about structural concerns.

Engineers said New York’s skyscrapers are made of high-strength materials and designed to sway slowly to withstand winds and other impacts. Modern high rises also have other features to help absorb any shock.

“High-rise buildings can be one of the safest places you can be in an earthquake,” said Ahmad Rahimian of the engineering firm WSP Global.

Our @NYCSchools haven't reported any issues, and our students and staff are safe. Dismissal and afterschool will continue as scheduled for today. — Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 5, 2024

The MTA said service was not impacted, though teams were dispatched to inspect train lines and tunnels. New Jersey Transit reported up to 20-minute delays due to crew bridge inspections in the aftermath, but service was not impacted further.

There were no reported issues along the infrastructure for MTA, after both the initial quake and the powerful aftershock hours later, saying that the system continued to run "safely and normally."

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York. My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day. — Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 5, 2024

History of earthquakes in Tri-State

Earthquakes with magnitudes near or above 5 struck near New York City in 1737, 1783 and 1884, the USGS said. Take a look at a list of the most powerful earthquakes near NYC in history.

The most powerful quakes near the city were on Aug. 10, 1884, and Dec. 19, 1737, according to the Lamont-Doherty Cooperative Seismographic Network. Both of those quakes were magnitude 5.2 in the greater NYC area, but the exact spot where they occurred is not known.

Friday's quake stirred memories of the Aug. 23, 2011, earthquake that jolted tens of millions of people from Georgia to Canada. With an epicenter in Virginia, it left cracks in the Washington Monument and rattled New Yorkers ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

It's not the first quake to rumble the tri-state area this year. In January, a magnitude 1.7 earthquake struck near Astoria, Queens, according to USGS.

Earthquakes in the New York City area are rare, even if they seem increasingly common in recent years.

There are fault lines in the city but experts say residents have nothing to fear.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. The East Coast has been geologically stable for millions of years," Stephen Holler, an associate professor of physics and engineering at Fordham University, said.

He did not expect aftershocks to be a concern.

While a relatively strong earthquake for this part of the United States, it doesn't compare to the one that hit Taiwan earlier this week. T he country's strongest earthquake in more than 25 years, the magnitude 7.4 quake that hit Wednesday killed at least nine people died and hurt more than 1,000. Scores remain missing.

Earthquake felt across Northeast

In Astoria, Cassondra Kurtz was giving her 14-year-old Chihuahua, Chiki, a cocoa-butter rubdown for her dry skin. Kurtz was recording the moment on video, as an everyday memory of the dog’s older years, when her apartment started shaking hard enough that a 9-foot-tall mirror banged audibly against a wall.

Kurtz assumed at first it was a big truck going by. The video captured her looking around, perplexed. Chiki, however, “was completely unbothered.”

Attorney Finn Dusenbery was in a law office in midtown Manhattan. “The building shook and I thought that the ceiling above me was going to collapse,” Dusenbery said. “I did think that maybe the building was going to fall down for a second, and I wanted to get out of the building when I felt that.”

At a coffee shop in lower Manhattan, customers buzzed over the unexpected earthquake, which rattled dishware and shook the concrete counter. “I noticed the door trembling on its frame,” said India Hays, a barista. “I thought surely there couldn’t be an earthquake here.”

Solomon Byron was sitting on a park bench in Manhattan’s East Village when he felt an unfamiliar rumble. “I felt this vibration, and I was just like, where is that vibration coming from,” Byron said. “There’s no trains nowhere close by here or anything like that.” Byron said he didn’t realize there had been an earthquake until he got the alert on his cellphone.

People in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Connecticut and other areas of the Northeast reported shaking. Tremors lasting for several seconds were felt over 200 miles away near the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border.

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Fierce earthquake rattles Taiwan, killing 9 and injuring more than 1,000

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