Solar eclipse 2024: peak viewing times and maps for your area
Fast CompanyThe celestial event of the year will take place today. The 2024 total solar eclipse will span parts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada, with the U.S. getting the lion’s share of the spectacle—that is if you are located in certain parts of the country.
NASA says the total solar eclipse will be visible above select cities stretching from Texas to Maine, but the other 48 continental states should also be able to view a partial eclipse—cloud coverage permitting.
With that in mind, here are some important resources for those who have their safety glasses and want to watch the eclipse in all its glory.
- Solar eclipse 2024 interactive map: This NASA-made interactive map allows you to visualize the path of totality as the eclipse makes its way across the United States.
- Solar eclipse 2024 static map: NASA has also made a series of static maps that show the path of totality of the eclipse across the United States. These maps can be downloaded to your computer or smartphone for free.
- Solar eclipse 2024 cloud cover map: Of course, in order to view the eclipse in all its glory (with appropriate safety glasses) there need to be clear skies. The Weather Channel has a good roundup of expected cloud coverage today here.
- Solar eclipse 2024 livestream: If you aren’t in an area where there will be a total solar eclipse, or you just want to be able to watch it without having to go outside, Fast Company has rounded up a list of places you can watch the eclipse livestream for free online here.
Finally, the total solar eclipse is expected to begin its trek across North America starting just off Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 11:07 a.m. PDT. It will then cross the continent in a northeasterly direction until it exits the landmass just off the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. NDT.
In the United States, to see the solar eclipse at its peak, you’ll need to be in select cities across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Below is a table that reveals when the peak viewing times for the 2024 solar eclipse are expected to occur in select cities across America. The “maximum” column below designates the peak viewing time.
