Get your glasses ready for the solar eclipse

On Monday, April 8, shortly after 2pm, nocturnal wildlife may awaken, and non-nocturnal wildlife may think it’s time for bed. But us humans know: It’s total solar eclipse time!

On April 8, 2024, the moon pass between the earth and the sun, and will completely block the sun for over four minutes. The solar eclipse will pass over parts of Mexico, the central and eastern United States, and southeastern Canada. The path of totality will first enter the United States in Texas, then pass through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The last total solar eclipse in New York State took place in 1925, and the next total eclipse is expected on May 1, 2079.

“Yes, the total eclipse tops them all,” says veteran astronomer Bob Berman. “Watching deep pink geysers of nuclear fire shoot from the Sun’s edge, you feel nature’s absolute climax has been attained. It’s not only an otherworldly experience but also an incredible cosmic coincidence. How else do we explain that the Moon is 400 times smaller than the Sun but also 400 times nearer to us?”

Where to see the eclipse:

The best chances, clouds permitting, to see total darkness as the moon passes between the sun and the earth on April 8 is in the northern portions of the state, like Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Watertown and Plaatsburg. Locations in the path of totality could experience total darkness for up to 4 minutes!

During the last total eclipse in New York State on January 24, 1925, it was reported that those above 96th Street in Manhattan saw a total solar eclipse while those below 96th Street saw a partial eclipse.

Here in the Hudson Valley, we may see around 90-percent darkness. The Catskills will be 96.01% obscuration beginning at 2:10pm and maxing at 3:25pm; Poughkeepsie will be under a partial solar eclipse at 93.56%, with the partial beginning at 2:11pm, maxing out at 3:26pm and ending at 4:36pm.

NOTE: Winnakee Land Trust is advising eclipse-travelers to find another viewing spot other than Burger Hill in Rhinebeck. The overflow parking lot is flooded, and parking is extremely limited. (Parking on 9G in that area is dangerous and not advised, vehicles may be towed.)

Approximate timeline for the region:

• 2:11pm: The Moon will start to pass between the Sun and Earth and the sky will start to darken.

• 3:26pm: The Moon is most directly between the Sun and Earth. This is when the sky will be most dark. Expect 95% coverage for about a minute

• 4:46pm: The Moon has passed and the Sun is revealed again.

NYS Eclipse tips:

Never look directly at the eclipse/sun without specialized eye protection! Protect your eyes with specialized solar viewing glasses or use indirect viewing methods like pinhole projectors or even a colander. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury. (Most of our local libraries are offering free solar viewing glasses, but supplies are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.)
Check traffic before heading out. Consider using 511NY for current travel conditions. But also remember there may be limited cell signal, so you may want to have an atlas or maps in the vehicle.

• Arrive early, and still be ready to be stuck in traffic.

Do not pull over on the highway or any roadways during the eclipse. Get to a destination before taking in the view.
Prepare for the weather: April can bring sun, ice, snow, rain, and mud. And, during the total solar eclipse, expect the temperature to drop about 10 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the humidity and cloud cover at your location.

Take the eclipse quiz!

How much do you really know about this celestial event? Test your knowledge with the I Love NY Total Solar Eclipse quiz: https://www.iloveny.com/events/eclipse-2024/quiz/

More info:

NASA Map of percentage of the eclipse

https://www.iloveny.com/events/eclipse-2024/

https://www.weather.gov/media/aly/Climate/Eclipse/FactSheet_TotalSolarEclipse.pdf

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