How to watch Solar Eclipse online: Guide to witness the biggest eclipse in US since 1970
It’s show time! Soon, people living in North America will get to experience their first total solar eclipse in almost a decade. The last solar eclipse in North America happened in 2017, and one with this veracity in 1970. The next one isn’t expected until August 2099. More than just a peculiar shadow, the solar eclipse is a perfect opportunity to hang out with loved ones outside and meditate on humanity’s smallness compared to the vast universe.
Here’s a guide to witness the total solar eclipse on April 8, Best time per city and live stream details(REUTERS)
Also Read: Total solar eclipse 2024 weather forecast
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What Is a Total Solar Eclipse?
“It’s an alignment of the sun, the moon, and the earth in such a way that the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth, blocking the sun’s rays from reaching the Earth’s surface,” says Noah Petro, an Artemis III project scientist at NASA. If you’re in the path of totality, then you will see the moon completely cover the sun. Outside of the main path? You may still see a partial eclipse, where the moon covers a slice of the sun.
Despite the involvement of the moon, a solar eclipse is not to be confused with a lunar eclipse. During those, the moon passes into the shadow of Earth and turns a dark red colour. Lunar eclipses are visible for most of the entire hemisphere that’s facing the moon at the time.
Also Read: Know the 5 stages of Total Solar Eclipse
When Is the Solar Eclipse?
Passing through portions of North America, the total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8. Depending on where you are in the path of totality, the solar eclipse will happen in the afternoon and potentially last around four minutes. For more specifics, refer to NASA’s map detailing the exact time different US cities will experience the total eclipse.
Also Read: Solar Eclipse 2024 astrological predictions
What is the duration of 2024 total solar eclipse?
The April 8 eclipse that will span from Texas to Maine will last for a duration of four minutes and 28 seconds.
Also Read: Dos and Don’t’s during solar eclipse
What is the best time to watch 2024 total solar eclipse?
Around 11:07am PDT on April 8, the total solar eclipse will start over the Pacific Ocean, and the first location in continental North America that will experience totality is Mexico’s Pacific Coast. From there, the path will continue into Texas, crossing more than a dozen states before the eclipse enters Canada in southern Ontario. The eclipse will then exit North America at around 5:16 p.m. NDT from Newfoundland, Canada.
Solar Eclipse: Central Daylight Time (CDT) Zone
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Dallas, Texas?
– Partial eclipse begins: 12:23 p.m.
– Totality starts: 1:40 p.m.
– Totality peak: 1:42 p.m.
– Totality ends: 1:44 p.m.
– Partial eclipse concludes: 3:02 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Idabel, Oklahoma?
– Partial eclipse starts: 12:28 p.m.
– Totality begins: 1:45 p.m.
– Totality peak: 1:47 p.m.
– Totality ends: 1:49 p.m.
– Partial eclipse concludes: 3:06 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Little Rock, Arkansas?
– Partial eclipse commences: 12:33 p.m.
– Totality beginning: 1:51 p.m.
– Totality peak: 1:52 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 1:54 p.m.
– Partial eclipse finishing: 3:11 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Poplar Bluff, Missouri?
– Partial eclipse starts: 12:39 p.m.
– Totality beginning: 1:56 p.m.
– Totality peak: 1:56 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 2:00 p.m.
– Partial eclipse ends: 3:15 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Paducah, Kentucky?
– Partial eclipse begins: 12:42 p.m.
– Totality starts: 2:00 p.m.
– Totality peak: 2:01 p.m.
– Totality ends: 2:02 p.m.
– Partial eclipse finishing: 3:18 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Carbondale, Illinois?
– Partial eclipse starts: 12:42 p.m.
– Totality beginning: 1:59 p.m.
– Totality peak: 2:01 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 2:03 p.m.
– Partial eclipse ends: 3:18 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Evansville, Indiana?
– Partial eclipse commences: 12:45 p.m.
– Totality starts: 2:02 p.m.
– Totality peak: 2:04 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 2:05 p.m.
– Partial eclipse finishing: 3:20 p.m.
– **Solar Eclipse: Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) Zone**
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Cleveland, Ohio?
– Partial eclipse begins: 1:59 p.m.
– Totality starts: 3:13 p.m.
– Totality peak: 3:15 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 3:17 p.m.
– Partial eclipse ends: 4:29 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Erie, Pennsylvania?
– Partial eclipse starts: 2:02 p.m.
– Totality beginning: 3:16 p.m.
– Totality peak: 3:18 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 3:20 p.m.
– Partial eclipse finishing: 4:30 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Buffalo, New York?
– Partial eclipse commences: 2:04 p.m.
– Totality starts: 3:18 p.m.
– Totality peak: 3:20 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 3:22 p.m.
– Partial eclipse ends: 4:32 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Burlington, Vermont?
– Partial eclipse begins: 2:14 p.m.
– Totality starting: 3:26 p.m.
– Totality peak: 3:27 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 3:29 p.m.
– Partial eclipse finishing: 4:37 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Lancaster, New Hampshire?
– Partial eclipse starts: 2:16 p.m.
– Totality beginning: 3:27 p.m.
– Totality peak: 3:29 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 3:30 p.m.
– Partial eclipse ending: 4:38 p.m.
When to watch Solar Eclipse in Caribou, Maine?
– Partial eclipse commences: 2:22 p.m.
– Totality starts: 3:32 p.m.
– Totality peak: 3:33 p.m.
– Totality concludes: 3:34 p.m.
– Partial eclipse finishing: 4:40 p.m.
Total Solar Eclipse: Where Will It Be Visible?
While the total solar eclipse is primarily happening in Mexico and the United States, a small section of eastern Canada is also along the path of totality. To see what it might look like in different locations, check out this [fantastic website](#) created by a retired mathematician that simulates the solar eclipse.
Three major Mexican cities where you can see the total solar eclipse are Mazatlán, Durango, and Torreón.
There are numerous locations across the US where you can potentially experience totality. A few of the locations include Dallas, Texas; Russellville, Arkansas; Carbondale, Illinois; Greenwood, Indiana; and Buffalo, New York.
Finding somewhere you can avoid a cloudy overcast is crucial if you want to have the best viewing experience. “Particularly in northern New England, we can have colder, cloudy weather,” says Petro. “Through Mexico and Central Texas, you might be able to find places that are more likely to get clear skies.”
Total Solar Eclipse: Where Can I Stream It Online?
If you’re not able to experience it in person, NASA is livestreaming the solar eclipse on its youtube channel. Viewers of the free online broadcast can expect to see telescopic views of the eclipse as well as helpful context from space experts.
Want to watch through an app on your smartphone? NASA also offers a free app, for iOS and Android, where you can stream videos of the total solar eclipse. Parents looking for educational resources to teach their kids about the eclipse can also try out the Totality app from Big Kid Science (iOS, Android).
Do I Really Need to Wear Eclipse Glasses?
The answer is yes.
“Looking at any amount of sun is really dangerous,” says Matt Bothwell, a public astronomer at Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy. “So you should be getting eclipse glasses to watch the progress of the moon over the face of the sun.” And just putting on a pair of typical sunglasses won’t do the trick—you want eye protection that is ISO-certified for direct sun observation.
Ideally, you may be able to get a free pair of solar eclipse glasses from a local library or observatory that is handing out ISO-certified protection in the lead-up to the event. While it’s possible to purchase the glasses online, remain wary of fakes. Visit the [American Astronomical Society’s website](#) for a database of verified suppliers. If you wait until the last second on the day of the solar eclipse, you may end up having to shell out money for an overpriced pair.
Will I See the Devil’s Comet During the Eclipse?
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, also known as the Devil’s Comet, may be visible in the sky for a brief moment for those in the path of totality, though it will likely be difficult to spot with the naked eye. If you’re far away from city lights and the sky is free from cloud coverage, you might see a tiny smudge in the sky—that’s the Devil’s Comet. If you don’t catch it during the eclipse, it’ll still be visible throughout April. A pair of binoculars or a telescope make the comet easier to see.
