What is the 2024 eclipse?
On Monday, April 8th, 2024, a total solar eclipse will take place, crossing over North America, making it visible from Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
What is a total solar eclipse?
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon aligns perfectly between the sun and the Earth. The moon blocks all sunlight and a faint solar corona can been seen. Total solar eclipses happen about every 18 months, but it’s the location that’s important, because the path of totality is narrow and sometimes completely over the ocean. In 2024, we’re lucky because the path of totality is over North America.
What to expect when watching the eclipse
There are four phases of a total solar eclipse and to see all stages, you need to be in the path of totality. If you’re outside the path, you’ll still see a partial eclipse with the moon covering part, but not all, of the sun.
- When the eclipse starts, the moon will slowly move into place in front of the sun. It will start to get slightly darker and the sun will look like a cookie with a bite taken out of it.
- As the moon covers the entire disk of the sun, the world will go from bright and sunny to shadowy and dark in just seconds. It will feel a bit colder and any animals nearby will get really quiet, like it’s nighttime. A hush will fall. The moon will move into place and completely block out the light of the sun. Instead of the sun, you’ll see a faint ring of light. The sky will look like dusk and everything will be eerie and bright and absolutely unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.
- After totality ends, the moon starts to move away and the sun starts to reappear, making an opposite cookie bite. Light will start to appear and you’ll start to hear animals making noises like it’s morning time.
- After the moon passes completely past the sun, the eclipse is over and you’ll be forever changed.
Right before and right after totality, you might be lucky enough to see either the Baily’s beads, a diamond ring, or rare double diamond ring. That’s when the light from the sun streams out from behind the moon’s irregular crater surface, making it look like a string of beads, where the beads are bright beacons of light.
Where is the 2024 eclipse?
In short, the 2024 eclipse will happen over North America, first in Mexico, then in the United States, then in Canada. Think of an arc curving from the bottom South West corner of North America towards the top North East corner.
The 2024 eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean. The first location that will be able to experience totality (when the sun is completely covered by the moon) is the Pacific coast of Mexico at 11:07 PDT. From there, the eclipse will continue, entering the US in Texas. It will pass through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, in some small pockets. In Canada, the eclipse will enter in Southern Ontario and continue on to Quebec’s, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton. The last place to see the eclipse will be on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland at 5:16 NDT.
When is the 2024 eclipse?
The eclipse will start at 11:07 PDT and end at 5:16 NDT (local times).
Where is the 2024 path of totality?
The path of totality is a 115 mile wide path in the centre of the path of the eclipse. The closer you are to the centre of the path, the longer totality will last. Take a look at NASA to make sure you’re in the path. There’s also an interactive map developed by Xavier Jubier, where you can zoom in and see the eclipse path.
Which cities will see totality for the 2024 eclipse?
- Dallas, Texas
- Idabel, Oklahoma
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Poplar Bluff, Missouri
- Paducah, Kentucky
- Carbondale, Illinois
- Evansville, Indiana
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Erie, Pennsylvania
- Buffalo, New York
- Burlington, Vermont
- Lancaster, New Hampshire
- Caribou, Maine.
When is the path of totality?
In America, totality will start in Texas at 1:27pm CDT and end in Maine at 3:35pm EDT (local times).
What is totality?
Totality is the maximum phase of a total solar eclipse, when the moon completely covers the sun. Totality can last a fraction of a second, up to 7 minutes and 31 seconds. For the 2024 eclipse, totality will last for a maximum of 4 minutes and 18 seconds, and vary in length along the eclipse path. Totality will last longest in Mexico and Texas.
What equipment do you need to watch the eclipse?
To watch the eclipse, you’ll need a pair of eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer.
Your eyes can be permanently damaged by looking directly at the sun, so you need to make sure to protect yourself.
NASA doesn’t have any brand recommendations for solar glasses or viewers, but they do state that whatever you use need to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. This link, from the American Astronomical Society lists some reputable brands. If you’re careful, you can also buy online.
DO NOT look at the sun or eclipse through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device. Concentrated solar rays will burn through and cause serious eye injury.
During complete totality is the only safe time to remove your eclipse glasses.
How to take photos of the 2024 eclipse
It’s sad to say but a phone probably won’t cut it, what you see below is what you can expect from most phones. You need a mirrorless or DSLR and a long lens to truly capture the eclipse, but don’t focus too much on it. Just set the autofocus to manual, set the lens to infinity, and the timer to capture a photo every second or so for 4 minutes and you’re good to go, the eclipse is a life changing IRL experience and you shouldn’t miss it fiddling with a camera.
Eclipse snacks
What is a party without snacks? An eclipse party is just the thing to do in the moments before the eclipse starts and after it ends.
- Galaxy glaze
Galaxy glaze ALL THE THINGS! It’s a space party and what better snacks than ones that look like space? This galaxy glaze is super easy to do and the best part is you can glaze literally anything. I like oreos but you can also do store bought donuts or cake. - Tinned fish
Have you heard? Charcuterie is out and seacuterie is in! A tinned fish party is on trend because it’s delicious, easy, and fun. Conservas, Spanish for “preserved” is hugely popular in Europe. Grab some tins, some fancy or not so fancy chips, and have a fish and chips party while you wait for the magic. - Sushi bake
Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. You probably have never heard the words sushi and bake in the same sentence before, but it’s delicious! Creamy, savory, satisfying and perfect for parties, a tray of sushi bake is always one of the first things finished. Maybe don’t call it sushi bake if you have snobby friends. Whatever you call it, make it for your eclipse party. Maybe even cut out some eclipse shaped seaweed and throw it on top for extra festive fun. - Wings!
We have so many wings recipes on the blog because we LOVE wings. Breakout the airfryer (simply the best and easiest way to make wings and keep them coming hot-n-fresh) and then season them any which way you like. - Korean fried chicken wings
Sweet, saucy, spicy, everything you want in a wing. - Ranch Wings
These aren’t wings covered in ranch sauce – although serving ranch to dip would be a pro move – nope, they’re crispy, juicy wings tossed in ranch seasoning and they are out of this world. - Honey Char Siu Wings
Sticky, sweet, finger-licking Chinese char-siu inspired wings that are so, so good.
Enjoy the eclipse friends! We saw the one back in 2017 and I cried it was so beautiful. I’m not even kidding, I bawled like a baby. It was pure magic.
