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Eclipse watch party hosted in Orlando
The Orlando Science Center hosted an eclipse watch party Saturday afternoon
ORLANDO, Fla. - A total solar eclipse will happen this April. Here's what you need to know about the alignment, including how to see it in Orlando:
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse happens when the sun, moon and Earth line up, either partially or fully, according to NASA.
The moon passes between the sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth that either fully or partially blocks sunlight in some areas.
There are three kinds of solar eclipses: total, annular and partial.
When is the total eclipse in 2024?
A total solar eclipse will happen on Monday, April 8, 2024.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, completely blocking the face of the sun.
2024 solar eclipse path of totality
People located in the center of the moon's shadow when it hits the earth will experience a total solar eclipse. This area is called the path of totality.
The path of the eclipse will pass through parts of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.
The total solar eclipse will be visible along a narrow track stretching from Texas to Maine on April 8, 2024. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout all 48 contiguous U.S. states. (Photo: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)
In the U.S., the following states are included in the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse:
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Missouri
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Indiana
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Tennessee (small part)
- Michigan (small part)
Where will the solar eclipse be visible?
Even though a state is not included in the path of totality, a partial eclipse can still be viewed.
Will the solar eclipse be visible in Orlando?
People in Orlando can get a partial glimpse of the total solar eclipse on April 8, according to eclipse2024.com.
The partial eclipse will begin at 1:46:55 p.m. ET.
The mid-eclipse time, or the time when the maximum amount of the sun's disk is covered, is 3:03:29 p.m. ET.
Orlando will get a 65% partial view of the eclipse, meaning that 65% of the sun's disk will be covered at mid-eclipse time.
RELATED: Orlando sunsets won't happen before 6 p.m. again until November
When is the next solar eclipse after 2024?
Here's a look at the next solar eclipses over the next 10 years (worldwide):
- October 2, 2024 (annular)
- March 29, 2025 (partial)*
- September 21, 2025 (partial)
- February 17, 2026 (annular)
- August 12, 2026 (total)*
- February 6, 2027 (annular)
- August 2, 2027 (total)
- January 26, 2028 (annular)*
- July 22, 2028 (total)
- January 14, 2029 (partial)*
- June 12, 2029 (partial)
- July 11, 2029 (partial)
- December 5, 2029 (partial)
- June 1, 2030 (annular)
- November 25, 2030 (total)
- May 21, 2031 (annular)
- November 14, 2031 (total)*
- May 9, 2032 (annular)
- November 3, 2032 (partial)
- March 30, 2033 (total)*
- September 23, 2033 (partial)
- March 20, 2034 (total)
- September 12, 2034 (annular)
*denotes U.S. included in path of totality
How often does a solar eclipse happen?
A total solar eclipse happens about every 18 months or so, according to the National History Museum.
How to watch solar eclipse
It is never safe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse without special eye protection. That includes looking at the sun through a camera lens, binoculars or telescope without a special-purpose solar filter, according to NASA.
Here's a few guidelines from NASA about total solar eclipse safety:
- View the Sun through eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer during the partial eclipse phases before and after totality.
- You can view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection only when the Moon completely obscures the Sun’s bright face – during the brief and spectacular period known as totality. (You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the Sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer.)
- As soon as you see even a little bit of the bright Sun reappear after totality, immediately put your eclipse glasses back on or use a handheld solar viewer to look at the Sun.
This composite image of eleven pictures shows the progression of a total solar eclipse over Madras, Oregon, on Aug. 21, 2017 (Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)
Click here for more information about solar eclipse safety.
Click here to see how much of the solar eclipse you'll see where you live.