Watch the Moon’s shadow fly from Mazatlan to Newfoundland on April 8, 2024! This animation simulates the view from a spacecraft 100 miles high that is chasing the eclipse. The dark oval represents where the total solar eclipse will be seen at that moment. The time of eclipse is given in the local time zone. The duration is the maximum at the center of the Moon’s shadow. Places near the centerline receive the longest duration.
The next total solar eclipse to visit North America will be April 8, 2024. The duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, almost double that of The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017. The 2017 total solar eclipse was witnessed by about 20 million people from Oregon to South Carolina, and the upcoming 2024 Great American Eclipse is sure to be witnessed by many millions more.
Because of what they saw — the exquisite beauty of the Sun’s corona hanging in the suddenly darkened sky — many millions more will know that a total solar eclipse is something truly worth seeing. In the US, totality will begin in Texas at 1:27 pm CDT and will end in Maine at 3:35 pm EDT on April 8, 2024. Our GIF below, books, maps, and our new mobile app, show exact times and durations in many locations along the path of totality.
These images from the April 20, 2023 total solar eclipse from Exmouth, Australia are kindly provided by Phil Hart. They provide a preview of what you might see on April 8 as the Sun is near the maximum of its 11-year sunspot cycle. More at philhart.com
If you’ve never seen a total solar eclipse before, put it on your bucket list and mark the date. It is truly a breath-taking sight. You won’t regret traveling to see the Sun’s corona, while you stand in the shadow of the moon!
The Moon’s Shadow
This animated GIF shows the Moon’s shadow arcing across the Pacific, then traversing North America, and ending at sunset not far from Spain. The very longest duration will be near Torreon, Mexico at 4 minutes and 27 seconds.
The inner black circle, the umbra, is where the shadow is complete — a total eclipse of the Sun. The outer shadow circle, the penumbra, shows the extent of the partial eclipse. The partial eclipse will be slight near the outer circle and deep near the path of totality. In a deep partial eclipse, the sky will cool and sunlight will take on an eerie quality. We encourage you get inside the path of totality! 99% is not the same as 100%. You will only see the corona when you are at 100% eclipse; inside the path of totality.
Map of Totality
This map of the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse shows durations of totality, what time greatest eclipse is, the degree of partial eclipse outside the path of totality, and the major cities of North America. Use this to find your best location for nature’s greatest sight.
Totality over the United States
Learn more about the total solar eclipse in each of the states inside the path of totality by clicking the links below.
Places inside the path of totality
Eclipse Impact
How big will the impact of eclipse visitation be to the path of totality? Start with the fact that 31 million people in the United States already live inside the path of totality. These maps summarize the potential visitation from neighboring states, weighing travel distance from throughout the nation.
Safely viewing the eclipse
Solar eclipses can be viewed safely. The rules are simple; use only ISO-certified-safe solar eclipse glasses and viewers, and keep them on while the Sun is not yet fully eclipsed. Once the sky suddenly turns dark, and the solar corona appears, then you can take off your eclipse glasses or viewers to look at the Sun’s amazing corona.
The easiest way to view the partial solar eclipse will be with our ISO-certified-safe eclipse glasses, and SUNoculars, available here. For more instruction on safely viewing the eclipse, visit the American Astronomical Society’s authoritative site, eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety
Cities inside the path of totality
The moon’s shadow first touches Mexico at Mazatlan. Then it travels northeast through Mexico and enters the United States at Texas, cuts a diagonal all the way across the country to Maine, and then visits the maritime provinces of Canada.
The major cities inside the path are Mazatlan, Torreon, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Montreal.
The ovals in the map show the shadow of the Moon at five minute intervals. This path is called the path of totality.
Highlights along the 2024 path of totality
Maps of the eclipse path
These specific area maps show where to go to see nature’s most amazing sky spectacle. The maps are arranged in the direction that the Moon’s shadow will travel. The gray ovals inside the path are the actual Moon’s shadow, calculated every 5 minutes. Click on each map to see a larger version.
Field Guide to the 2023 and 2024 Solar Eclipses
We recommend our Field Guide for planning your eclipse trip, and also in the lead-up to eclipse day if cloudy weather suggests relocation. Many locations are recommended for a combination of duration, percent chance of clear skies, scenery and culture. By reading the maps, you can look up the start and end times for any location, the duration of totality inside the central path, and the times of greatest eclipse for the partial and total eclipse areas. The Field Guide includes 2 eclipse glasses and is available here.
These maps are from our Atlas of Solar Eclipses – 2020 to 2045 . This atlas spans all partial, annular, hybrid, and total solar eclipses around the globe within 26 years. If you are an eclipse chaser, this is your vacation guide through 2045!
We developed this map for educators and anyone doing eclipse outreach. This map measures 10 feet by 2 feet and is packed with information on the path of total solar eclipse. You can download our 10-foot long 2024 eclipse map here!