Editor's note: This article Dallas Morning News coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse.Learn more about dallasnews.com/eclipse.
On April 8, 2024, residents of the Dallas-Fort Worth area will witness a once-in-a-lifetime event when the moon will appear to block the sun during a total solar eclipse. Here's what you need to know about this celestial phenomenon. This includes how rare it is, what totality means, and why it's not a good idea to sneak a peek without eclipse glasses.
1. What is a total solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow that partially or completely blocks the sun's light. Texas experienced a partial solar eclipse known as the “Ring of Fire” in October, which looked like a crescent moon in the local sky.
In Dallas, the moon will begin covering the sun at around 12:23 p.m. on April 8, reaching totality, or completely covering the sun, starting at around 1:40 p.m. and ending about 4 minutes later. The moon will then move away from the sun and the spectacle will end around 3:02 p.m. The exact timing will vary depending on your location within the metropolis.
2. What is integrity? How long does it last?
Totality is the time during a solar eclipse when the moon completely blocks the sun. Weather permitting, the weather in Texas is considered the best in the United States, and a dark orb surrounded by a thin ring of light will be visible in the sky. That ring is the sun's corona, or outer atmosphere.
It will be dark during the day, and you may be able to see stars in the midday sky.
“1 a.m. is night time,” said McKenna Dowd, program coordinator for the planetarium at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Mary Urquhart, a planetary scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas, experienced totality in Tennessee during the 2017 solar eclipse. She says it was a unique experience.
“I remember… hearing the cicadas and then turning into crickets,” she said. “And then the cicadas came out again.”
Dallas Totality lasts just under four minutes, but the exact duration varies by location.
3. Where can I see the solar eclipse?
On April 8, the eclipse will move from Mexico to the northeastern United States and Canada. Weather permitting, the first location for totality will be the Pacific coast of Mexico at 11:07 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:07 p.m. Central Time.
Several Texas cities will go on the path to totalization, including Dallas, most of Fort Worth, Waco, Temple, most of Austin, and parts of San Antonio. Denton is outside the path of wholeness.
For most D-FW residents, the best place to view the eclipse isn't far away.
“Most of us just go outside and look up and we're fine,” Urquhart says.
To ensure a clear line of sight, Urquhart recommended avoiding tall buildings and trees.
4. How rare are solar eclipses?
Solar eclipses occur several times a year, but they are only visible in certain places on Earth. Not all of these places are easily accessible, especially since 71% of the Earth is covered in water.
“They're much more common than you think,” Dowd says. “But it doesn't happen often in places where there are people.”
The last time the United States saw a total solar eclipse was on August 21, 2017. The last total solar eclipse in Dallas was on July 29, 1878, and another total solar eclipse would not occur until 2317.
5. Do I need eclipse glasses?
Viewing a solar eclipse without eye protection is a big no-no. The sun's intense brightness can damage your eyes in seconds.
Eclipse glasses can sell out in the weeks leading up to the big day, so it's worth getting yours early. Many online listings for eclipse glasses may be counterfeit, but a list of safe options is available on his website for the American Astronomical Society. Glasses must comply with International Organization for Standardization safety guidelines. (The back of the glasses must say that they meet ISO 12312-2 requirements.) Sunglasses are not sufficient protection.
Urquhart said safe ways to observe the eclipse without looking at the sky include cutting a hole in a piece of cardboard or index card and looking at the shadow cast on the ground when sunlight shines through it. That's what it means. A similar effect can be achieved using a colander or crackers.
Urquhart said it's safe to view the eclipse without glasses during a total eclipse, but not before or after. Before totality occurs, viewers in Dallas will see the sun getting smaller in the sky until it disappears. Then, take off your glasses, set your timer for about 3 minutes, and soak up the total sun. You can then put your glasses back on for the final stage of the eclipse, when the moon slowly moves away and the sun emerges.
Aditi Ramakrishnan is a science reporting fellow at the Dallas Morning News. Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. News makes all editorial decisions.
