Solar Eclipse News
The Great American Eclipse of 2024
Updated April 8, 2024
What's the Big Idea?
All About the Eclipses
Sometimes when the Moon orbits Earth, the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth. When this happens, the Moon blocks the light of the Sun from reaching Earth. This causes an eclipse of the Sun, or a solar eclipse. During a solar eclipse, the Moon casts a shadow onto Earth.
There are three main types of solar eclipses:
- Total solar eclipse: A total solar eclipse is visible from a small area on Earth. The people who see the total eclipse are in the center of the Moon's shadow when it hits Earth. The sky becomes very dark, as if it were night. For a total eclipse to occur, the Sun, Moon and Earth must be in a direct line.
- Partial solar eclipse: This happens when the Sun, Moon and Earth are not exactly aligned. The Sun appears to have a dark shadow on a small part of its surface.
- Annular (an-yə-lər) solar eclipse: An annular eclipse happens when the Moon is farthest from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away, it seems smaller. It does not block the entire view of the Sun. The Moon in front of the Sun looks like a dark disk on top of a larger Sun-colored disk. This creates what looks like a ring around the Moon.
April 8: Total Eclipse of the Sun
A Celestial "Cutting in Line"
Begins: Mon, Apr 8, 2024 at 12:27 pm | The moment the edge of the Moon touches the edge of the Sun is called first contact.
Maximum: Mon, Apr 8, 2024 at 1:47 pm 0.978 Magnitude | The deepest point of the eclipse, with the Sun at its most hidden. Solar eclipse glasses must be worn during the entire eclipse.
Ends: Mon, Apr 8, 2024 at 3:07 pm | The edge of the Moon leaves the edge of the Sun.
Duration: 2 hours, 40 minutes
*Best viewing time: 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM with maximum at 1:47 PM.
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Eclipse Resources
Where to Purchase Glasses
- List of Reputable Eclipse Glass Vendors (vetted by AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force)
- Lists manufacturers and resellers in and outside of the US.
- Some sell have discounts while others have decent bulk sales of ISO 12312-2 certified glasses. Please shop responsibly.
- If you still have glasses from the 2017 eclipse, please do NOT use them.
Caddo Permission Slip
Students will need to complete a permission form to participate in the viewing of the solar eclipse. You can find a sample permission slip here.
Handouts/Documents
Safety
- Getting the Right Eclipse Glasses
- Safety Tips from NASA
- NPS: How to View a Solar Eclipse Safely
- How to View a Solar Eclipse from Exploratorium
Websites and Other Media
- NASA's Space Place: What Is a Solar Eclipse
- NASA: Annular Eclipse
- NASA: Total Eclipse
- NASA: Model a Solar Eclipse
- NASA: Poster Art
- Scholastic: 7 Activities to Get Kids Excited for the Solar Eclipse
- Activities from Exploratorium
- ASU NASA SCoPE
- Epic!: Amazing Sights in the Sky: Eclipses
- Wonderopolis: What’s the Difference Between a Solar and a Lunar Eclipse?
- Compare the 2017 path to April 2024
- Eclipses in Art
- Khan Academy: Solar Eclipses (video)
- Time and Date: Shreveport Total Eclipse
Livestreams
- Exploratorium
- Telescope View from Torreón, Mexico | Totality begins around 1:15 PM CST
- Junction, Texas | Totality begins around 1:30 PM CST
Discovery: Waco, Texas | Totality begins around 1:38 PM CST
Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Totality begins around 1:59 PM
- University of Maine | Totality begins around 2:20 PM
- National Science Foundation
- (Dallas) Totality will begin around 1:40 PM CST
- NASA: YouTube
- Time and Date: YouTube
- McDonald Observatory
- Smithsonian
- Track the Eclipse
Please Note: Totality is moment the edge of the Moon covers all of the Sun. It would be beneficial to begin viewing livestreams BEFORE totality begins.
- Wear ISO approved safety glasses during the entire partial eclipse.
- Caddo is NOT in the path of totality. Close but not in the path.
- Use a pinhole projector.
- Watch a livestream.
- Learn More!
Videos
What Is a Solar Eclipse?
A Tour of NASA’s 2024 Solar Eclipse Map
October 14, 2023: Annular Eclipse of the Sun
What Is an Annular Eclipse?
On Oct. 14, 2023, there was a dramatic annular eclipse.
In this kind of eclipse, the Moon gets in front of the Sun, but it is too far away and, therefore, too small to cover it completely, leaving an annulus (or “ring of fire”) around the dark disk of the Moon.
Solar Eclipse: What to do with your glasses after it passes
- If your glasses have an expiration date, discard after the expiration date.
3. Recycle them. Remove the lenses, and recycle the cardboard.