Sky & Telescope - April 2024 - 49

Continuing its northeastward
Cloudiness varies between 60%
advance, the shadow clips southeastern
Oklahoma and glides over central
Arkansas, where observers in Little Rock
get 2m 27s of totality starting at 1:52 p.m.
CDT. Across Arkansas and Missouri,
cloud cover ranges from 54% to 59%,
but as the eclipse path enters Illinois
that figure creeps up to 60%, along with
increasing chances of spring storms. At
lucky Carbondale, Illinois, which will
experience its second total solar eclipse
in just seven years, totality starts at 1:59
p.m. CDT with 4m 8s of shadow time.
Minutes later, at 3:06 p.m. EDT, more
than 2 million people in Indianapolis,
Indiana, can thrill to 3m 49s of totality.
qAs shown in this map prepared by Michael
Zeiler, during the April 8th total solar eclipse,
the Moon's shadow races across Mexico, the
U.S., and through eastern Canada. While the
eclipse central line may pass close to home
for many observers, weather prospects along
the path of totality vary widely, with regions in
Mexico and Texas being the most favorable.
The percentage lines refer to the fraction of the
Sun's area covered by the Moon.
and 70% from Illinois to Ohio, where
Clevelanders get 3m 48s of precious
totality starting at 3:14 p.m. EDT. Cold
air over Lake Erie helps to suppress
cloud formation, making viewing locations
south and southwest of the lake
the best in the region.
Cloud percentages slowly increase
beyond Buffalo and Rochester, New York
(where Lake Ontario will moderate cloud
cover) as the path enters northern Vermont
and Maine. Buffalo, New York, sits
squarely on the centerline, with 3m 45s of
totality beginning at 3:18 p.m. EDT.
The shadow departs the U.S. and
heads to the Canadian Maritime
provinces before exiting the continent
at Newfoundland and Labrador's Cape
Bonavista, at around 5:16 p.m. NDT.
From first nibble to last bite, the eclipse
lasts about 2½ hours.
Although the view outside the path
of totality is far less dramatic, there's
still much to see. The amount of Sun
obscured varies from near totality of
99% in St. Louis, Missouri, to 90%
in New York City, 45% in Key West,
Florida, 20% in Seattle, Washington,
and to just 2% in Juneau, Alaska.
No matter where you view the eclipse
from, be sure to use an approved and
undamaged solar filter for all the partial
phases of the event - it's only during
totality that you can safely view without
protection. You can watch the partial
phases indirectly by using the holes in
a colander to cast multiple, tiny images
of the Sun on the ground or a sheet
of white paper. Alternatively, you can
mount binoculars on a tripod and project
the Sun's image (turn to page xx for
instructions). Telescope users can either
cover the front end of the tube with a
quality, snug-fitting solar filter, or project
the solar image for all to see with a
homemade Sun funnel, as described at
https://is.gd/sunfunnel.
To maximize your chances for
clear skies on the big day, consult Jay
Anderson's eclipse weather guide at
eclipsophile.com. For detailed eclipse
St. John's
y
sk yand tele scope .o r g * APRIL 2024 49
Houlton
Presque Isle
Fredericton
Bathurst
Boston
60%
Buchans
Gander
Path of Total Eclipse
Northern limit of totalit
Southern limit of totality
50%
Ottawa
Belleville
Brockville
Toronto
Hamilton
Niagara
Falls
Erie
Cleveland
Youngstown
Canton
Pittsburgh
Washington, D.C.
Kingston
Rochester
Buffalo
Jamestown
Raleigh
kee
Detroit
Toledo
Bowling Green
Lima
omo
napolis
Richmond
Marion
mington
Muncie
Akron
Mansfield
Springfield
Dayton
Cincinnati
ta
Québec
Drummondville
Montréal
Cornwall
Plattsburgh
Burlington
Watertown
Syracuse
Montpelier
Saint-Georges
Victoriaville
Sherbrooke
New York
Philadelphia
Norfolk
Stephenville
Moncton
Charlottetown
Halifax
https://www.is.gd/sunfunnel http://www.eclipsophile.com http://skyandtelescope.org
Sky & Telescope - April 2024

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