Preparing for the 2024 Solar Eclipse in Pennsylvania
Get Ready For the Pennsylvania eclipse 2024
Have you ever seen a total solar eclipse? These awe-inspiring events are nothing new — one of the first solar eclipses recorded was in China in 2134 BC, where people believed a solar eclipse was a dragon consuming the sun. The next total solar eclipse to pass over Pennsylvania will occur on April 8th, 2024. You’ll want to mark your calendars and get ready to experience one of the most amazing natural phenomena. The solar eclipse will be a spectacular event you won’t want to miss.
Where Will the Path of Totality Be In 2024?
NASA predicts that the path of totality in 2024 will pass over the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania, within easy reach of the Pittsburgh area. Even though the 2017 eclipse offered a compelling show, it took a direct path well south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Much like in 2017, many major U.S. cities will experience a shadow of the 2024 eclipse. Cities that will experience totality are San Antonio, Atlanta, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and even more U.S. metropolitan areas: Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Buffalo.
Can You See the Lunar Eclipse in Pennsylvania?
Depending on the weather conditions during the eclipse, you may see it, depending on your location. Remember, totality (the moment the sun eclipses the moon) only lasts about 3 minutes at most. If you want to see the eclipse without leaving Pennsylvania, you’ll have to be sure your local weather is clear and that you can get away from any potential sources of light pollution.
What Time Will the 2024 Eclipse Happen?
From Texas to Maine, the path of the eclipse will sweep northeast. The eclipse will cross the Ohio-Pennsylvania border around 3:15 p.m. and then move over Lake Erie about five minutes later. If you miss the heavenly display in 2024, you’ll have to wait until 2045, when the next eclipse in the United States will cover the country from northern California to southern Florida.
How Long Will the 2024 Solar Eclipse Last?
The 2024 eclipse will be the longest total solar eclipse in America in more than 200 years. For about 3 minutes and 28 seconds, the eclipse will be in totality in Maine, which is a minute more than everywhere else in the U.S. this eclipse will be visible. Mexico will see the longest duration eclipse at 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
What’s the Best Way To View the Solar Eclipse?
In 2017 the ideal vantage point was in Maine, where the eclipse was visible almost a minute longer than anywhere else. Ensure you’re wearing protective eyewear. With the current technology on eclipse glasses, we recommend not looking at the sun without them. You should also never stare directly at an eclipse or use binoculars, and ensure your children don’t either.
What Else Should You Know About This Event?
While they might not be as lucky as some of their friends, who have been blessed with good weather and seen multiple total solar eclipses in their lives, Pennsylvanians will get their chance in 2024. Two years from now, on the morning of September 20th, skies will darken for about two minutes during a total solar eclipse that stretches diagonally across the United States.
Preparing for the Pennsylvania Eclipse 2024
There are still two years before the solar eclipse happens. What are you going to do to prepare? We hope these tips help make the next solar eclipse a more enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone. Be sure to let us know how your planning is coming along and if we can offer any other advice on social media or by email.