I went to see a total eclipse near Virginia Beach. “And while I was down there, I noticed right before the total eclipse, these bands of light were sweeping across the ground.” However, he has retained his youthful curiosity about shadow bands — a phenomenon with two competing theories but no definitive explanation. An upcoming total solar eclipse on Wednesday will provide scientists with another opportunity to study this mystery. In 2017, a total solar eclipse crossed the United States from coast to coast for the first time in 99 years.