Wide Swath of US to be Treated to Total Solar Eclipse

Want to know if you’re in the path of the biggest sky-spectacle of 2024? On a map, plunk your finger down on Mexico's Pacific coast. Then sweep it up to Newfoundland, Canada. Did your digit touch where you live? Congrats! You’re one of the 44 million people with a chance to glimpse a total solar eclipse on April 8! 

Starting at 11:07am Pacific Time, the moon will mirror the sun’s path for about four minutes. During this time, the moon will cast its shadow over Earth. This will make it seem as though the sun has been fully blotted out. That band of darkness will sweep across North America. It'll treat just about everyone to one of nature’s coolest displays.  

A few cities in the eclipse’s direct path are Dallas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Cleveland; and Buffalo, New York. Even those in North America not right beneath it (or in the “totality”) will see a partial eclipse. That means they'll glimpse a sliver of sun peeking around the moon's black disc. It’s such a stunning sight that planning for viewing parties has already begun.   

Delta Airlines is selling two special flights through the area of totality. Fredericksburg, Texas, is offering $75 tickets to see the eclipse from a hot air balloon. And places like Niagara Falls may be “as packed as Times Square after an alleged Taylor Swift sighting,” stated CNN. 

Regardless of where you watch, it’s vital to protect your eyes. “It is never safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing,” NASA warns. “Viewing any part of the bright Sun (even during an eclipse) … without a special-purpose solar filter … will instantly cause severe eye injury.”   

Reflect: How can celestial events like eclipses bring people together?