Here's a guide to help you prepare for the 2024 Solar Eclipse spectacle happening on Monday, April 8, 2024.
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HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?
The eclipse from the moment the moon begins to block the sun in Eagle Pass, Texas, begins at approx. 12:10 p.m. CDT. It will take three and a half hours before the moon exits the sun's path in Houlton, Maine, at4:40 p.m. EDT.
The total solar eclipse event (totality) where the moon perfectly blocks the sun, lasts anywhere from a minute to almost five minutes, depending on where you are viewing it from.
ECLIPSE'S PATH OF TOTALITY
The path of darkness is usually less than 150 miles wide, but will be a long and narrow path that will dash into the country. In the U.S., it will cross Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before exiting over eastern Canada into the Atlantic.
TIME OF SUN'S DISAPPEARING ACT
The path of totality will enter Texas at 1:27 p.m. local time. It'll reach Maine at 3:35 p.m. local time before it moves out to sea.
PREPARE TO WATCH THE ECLIPSE SAFELY
You will need to protect your eyes with proper eye protection to view the total solar eclipse. "Eclipse glasses" or handheld solar viewers, which are thousands of times darker than sunglasses, are advised to use to watch apartial solar eclipse, or the partial phases of a total eclipse.
According to NASA, it is never safe to look directly at a partially or uneclipsed Sun without proper eye protection. Only during the brief moments of totality during a total solar eclipse can you look directly at a solar eclipse without eye protection.
For those wanting a closer look, experts advise placing a safe solar filter on the front of a telescope, binoculars, or camera. The filter will protect optics from the Sun's intense heat and light.
WATCH PARTIES IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY
TEXAS
Texas is considered the best state to watch the eclipse. Baylor’s McLane stadium, in Waco, Texas, is hosting "Eclipse over Texas from Waco" with science-themed activities on the day.At 1:40 p.m. CDT on April 8, Dallas will enter the total solar eclipse’s path of totality for almost four minutes, one of the longest in North America.
OKLAHOMA
The best place to view the total solar eclipse in Oklahoma will be in the southeastern part of the state. Eclipse watchers can experience totality in towns like Broken Bow and Idabel.Oklahoma State Parks, Lake Wister, Talimena, Clayton Lake, Beavers Bend and Raymond Gary, will have a total eclipse of the park. Experience complete totality in Idabel and Broken Bow for over four minutes, beginning at 1:45 p.m. CDT.The National Guard will be available to keep visitors and residents safe with the influx of visitors.
ARKANSAS
The city of Little Rock is expected to have many eclipse viewing events and festivities, from outdoor concerts to parades. The Natural State will experience complete darkness.Regardless of where tourists spend their eclipse getaway in Little Rock, the city guarantees a fun, relaxed experience. Little Rock will experience complete totality for about two minutes and twenty seconds, beginning at 1:50 p.m. CDT.
ILLINOIS
The largest Illinois city in the path of totality is Carbondale - it's also close to the eclipse centerline. The city ofCarbondale is hosting an eclipse festival. Southern Illinois University canceled classes on Monday, April 8 for the Crossroads Eclipse Festival.Visitors can partake in a "fun-filled total solar eclipse experience" at the university's football stadium. Spectators will experience total darkness as the moon's shadow crosses the landscape for four minutes and 9 seconds, beginning at 1:59 p.m.CDT.
INDIANA
One of the best U.S. areas to experience the eclipse will be inIndianapolis.Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NASA are hosting an event at the "Racing Capital of the World" for the incredible phenomenon. White River State Park will have a large gathering of food trucks and vendors, a performance by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and yoga. A separate event, happening at the total eclipse approaches, will be "Totality at the Mountain" near Ozark. With almost four minutes of eclipse totality, totality will begin at 3:06 p.m. EDT on April 8 in Indianapolis.
OHIO
Cleveland will lie in the path of totality. The public can view April’s solar eclipse, at one of the many places this Ohio city is offering. Some of these events will also be dog-friendly and adult-only. Several clubs, bars, and breweries are catering to travelers without children.Cleveland History Museumis going to put on aplanetarium show. "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame," located on Lake Erie, provides an interrupted view of the sky. "Roadtrip to CLE," will lead players through a game to downtown in time to view the total solar eclipse. The path of totalityin Cleveland, begins at 3:13 p.m. EDT.
PENNSYLVANIA
Erie in Pennsylvania is expecting roughly 200,000 visitors for the eclipse, according toRitesh Raj, COO of CuddlyNest, an online platform for booking accommodations. "The Waterfront Park and Batter Park are two locations that offer a clear view of the sky,” Raj told the Associated Press. "These parks, with their open spaces and proximity to the water, provide a tranquil setting to witness the eclipse." Complete totality will begin in Erie at 3:16 p.m. EDT.
NEW YORK
Niagara Falls State Park in Niagara Falls, New York, which is in the direct path of totality, is hosting a 5-day event. From April 4 to 8, the park will provide activities, including some led by scientists and astronauts from NASA. A firework display is planned for the evening of April 8 in downtown Niagara Falls. The city of Buffalo is hosting various free and paid events for the eclipse, from musical performances to scientific presentations. Zoogoers at The Buffalo Zoo can watch the sky’s transformation surrounded by the sounds and sights of the animals during the unique event. Buffalo will have over three minutes and 30 seconds of totality beginning at 3:18 p.m. EDT on April 8.
Another destination to watch the Moon pass in front of the Sun from a high vantage point is at One World Observatory in New York City. Spectators can witness the celestial event from the top of the One World Trade Center.
VERMONT
Another great American city to watch the solar eclipse is in Burlington, Vermont.Lake Champlain, known as a picturesque spot, will be a unique place to watch the moon pass over the sun. "Burlington offers distant views of the Adirondacks, making it a beautiful vantage point to experience the eclipse. The Waterfront Park and Oakledge Park are two spots offering expansive sky views," recommended Alicia Richards of Travels With the Crew to the AP. "The eclipse’s reflection on the lake will be a sight that’s hard to forget." Burlington will experience totality around 3:30 p.m. EDT.
MAINE
Houlton, Maine has been declared the "best place to view the eclipse in all of Maine."Town of Houlton isvery close to the centerline of eclipse and will be the last town before the eclipse exists the U.S. Located in northern Maine, thetownthat borders Canada, has attractions and activities planned for thelifetime phenomenon. The town has planned days of events starting Saturday, April 6 and extending through eclipse day, April 8. Houlton will experience approximately 3 minutes and 19 seconds of totality, beginning at 3:32 p.m. EDT.
Editor's Note: NASA and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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