Countdown to the ‘Great North American Eclipse’ in 2024
On Monday, April 8, 2024 a totality lasting as long as 4 minutes 28 seconds—the longest for centuries—will come to Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.
A 100 miles-wide “path of totality”—the Moon’s shadow—will pass over 15 U.S. States. Only inside that path will eclipse-chasers be able to see and experience the wonders of totality; rapidly dropping temperatures, quickly gathering darkness, drop-dead gorgeous “diamond rings” around the Moon, and a few minutes to gawp at the Sun’s outer atmosphere—the solar corona—spilling into space.
It could be watched by 50 million people. The following really big total solar eclipse in North America isn’t until 2045.
Here’s where to see it:
- Mexico (best weather prospects): Sinaloa, Durango, and Coahuila
- U.S. (easiest travel options): Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
- Canada: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.
However, dig into those locations and you get these 10 stunning places to experience totality from:
- Mazatlán on the Pacific coast of Mexico (to see “first dark”)
- Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Texas
- Austin, Texas
- Dallas, Texas
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Terrapin Point, Niagara Falls
- Montreal, Canada
After 2024’s “Great North American Eclipse” are several other total solar eclipses visible from the U.S:
- March 30, 2033: Alaska
- August 23, 2044: Montana, North Dakota in the US and Northwest Territories and Alberta in Canada
- August 12, 2045: California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
It’s not just North America that is now in the midst of a solar eclipse-frenzy. Australia has arguably an even better haul of totalities coming up with five visible from “the lucky country” in just 15 years—2023, 2028, 2030, 2037 and 2038.
