On Monday, April 8th, more than two dozen cities in the United States will be plunged into darkness when a total solar eclipse fully covers the sun. Find out which cities will witness this historic event.
If you’re an astronomy enthusiast or interested in unique natural phenomena, you might be wondering where to watch the solar eclipse; after all, the big event is just a day away. On Monday, April 8, 2024, various cities across the United States will experience brief moments of dawn-like or dusk-like darkness right in the middle of the day. Because this isn’t an everyday occurrence, the marvel is prompting locals and travelers to search for the best viewing spots, and cities with the best front-row seats are eager to create an unforgettable day through cultural programming and other events to commemorate this special event. Moreover, according to NASA, there won’t be another total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous USA until 2044. Here, we cover everything you need to know about the upcoming event, including the 13 best cities to view the eclipse.
The Moon will perfectly align between the Earth and the Sun at midday, blocking the sunlight. The total eclipse will last longer than usual because our natural satellite will be just 360,000 kilometers (223,000 miles) from the Earth, one of the closest approaches of the two in the year. The closer the Moon is to our planet, the larger it appears in the sky from our perspective, resulting in an especially long and intense period of darkness. The total eclipse will have its longest duration as it passes over Mexico: 4 minutes and 28 seconds. In other parts of the path, like in Syracuse, New York, the total eclipse will last just 1 and a half minutes.
Additionally, a comet, known as “devil or diablo”, will approach the Sun and be visible during the eclipse. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was dubbed the “devil comet” because last year it left two distinct trails of gas and ice that formed a kind of horns. And now, it’s quite likely that star gazers may come across this object in the sky during the solar eclipse.
In which states of the USA can the total solar eclipse be seen along with the Devil Comet?
The solar eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean, crossing Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The event will traverse the continent for approximately one hour and 35 minutes along with the comet.
The first country to see the totality of the eclipse is Mexico, then it will be seen in the United States in the following states and times, according to NASA:
LOCATION START OF PARTIAL ECLIPSE TIME OF TOTALITY
Dallas, Texas 12:23 p.m. CDT 1:40 p.m. CDT
Idabel, Oklahoma 12:28 p.m. CDT 1:45 p.m. CDT
Little Rock, Arkansas 12:33 p.m. CDT 1:51 p.m. CDT
Poplar Bluff, Missouri 12:39 p.m. CDT 1:56 p.m. CDT
Paducah, Kentucky 12:42 p.m. CDT 2:00 p.m. CDT
Carbondale, Illinois 12:42 p.m. CDT 1:59 p.m. CDT
Evansville, Indiana 12:45 p.m. CDT 2:02 p.m. CDT
Cleveland, Ohio 1:59 p.m. EDT 3:13 p.m. EDT
Erie, Pennsylvania 2:02 p.m. EDT 3:16 p.m. EDT
Buffalo, New York 2:04 p.m. EDT 3:18 p.m. EDT
Burlington, Vermont 2:14 p.m. EDT 3:26 p.m. EDT
Lancaster, New Hampshire 2:16 p.m. EDT 3:27 p.m. EDT
Caribou, Maine 2:22 p.m. EDT 3:32 p.m. EDT
If you want to see the solar eclipse, be mindful of the weather forecast, as it could affect visibility. The last time it was observed was in 2017.
