An eclipse is an auspicious time for the sky above us. It is when the moon’s orbit falls directly between the earth and the sun, so it blocks out the light momentarily. Human beings have marveled over the phenomenon since the dawn of civilization, and our interest isn’t waning.
In just under two years on April 8th, 2024 Texas will be the prime location to see the coming eclipse, as the moon will block the entirety of the sun.
The Great American Solar Eclipse
Total solar eclipses are rare anywhere in the world, particularly in the United States. There have only been 21 visible and total eclipses of the sun that are visible in America since the Treaty of independence was signed. The last solar event of this nature was in 1979, and the one before that was in 1918.
Knowing just how rare a solar event like this is, helps the name make sense. They have dubbed the upcoming solar eclipse, The Great American Solar Eclipse. Gordon Telepun is an eclipse specialist photographer who works for Accuweather, and he said this; “The opportunity to see an eclipse without traveling internationally should not be missed. It is not too early to begin making plans.”
There are many of you reading this now who had not been born and were not even a twinkle in your parent’s eyes yet, but if you were around in 1979, you might remember the spectacular show the moon and sun gave. Once this seems certain, the next solar eclipse might be even better. We can expect the moon to cross in front of the sun just about two years from now. The date is expected to be the 8th of April 2024.
“The path of the 2024 eclipse across North America is exciting, It crosses more large cities than the 2017 path,” said Telepun
How to Prepare for a Solar Eclipse
If you are an avid eclipse follower, you might want to book your tickets and accommodation because the next one will only be visible from the States in 2045. This will be worth it though, and you might get to visit some friends or family that you have not seen in a while. Make the best o such a special astrological event, but make sure that you are properly prepared.
Even though the sun is going to be hidden behind the moon for about 4 minutes, the brightness is still too intense for our human eyes. This means that you must purchase yourself and your loved ones a set of specialized eyewear to protect your corneas from the brightness of the sun that is still visible. Eclipse eyewear will prevent the light from causing some serious damage and do not confuse them for normal sunglasses, because they are not the same.
The one thing one cannot avoid, prepare for, or prevent is the weather. If the weather on the day of April 8th 2024 is all gloomy with clouds covering the sky, then you might not be able to see the solar eclipse. “Watching the weather fronts a few days before the eclipse will be essential to success,” advised Telepun.
Where is the Solar Eclipse Most Visible?
Being the avid solar eclipse follower we know you to be, you are probably curious where the eclipse will be most prominent. Texas is definitely where you want to be when viewing the solar event. It will cross over the main cities of Texas where it will be visible for about two minutes. These cities include Austin, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. Dallas is the city where it is visible for the longest tie, seeing a total of four minutes of the sun being eclipsed by the moon.
Ultimately, the solar event will start over Mexico around in the morning. It will then cross over Texas, then Maine, and then finally it heads over the Eastern tip of Canada. Then, will start around 10 am, and it will end in the late afternoon.
Use the interactive Google maps to look at the overall path. Click here to find out about the eclipse events happening in your city. Want to know what the eclipse will look like? Try out this eclipse simulator.
Sources
- “2024’s total solar eclipse path will cross Texas. Here are the best places to see it.” Star Telegram. Dalia Faheid. April 12, 2022.
- “We’re two years away from the Great North American Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024!” Space. Stefanie Waldek. April 8, 2022.