The last total solar eclipse in the US until 2045 will happen this year. Set to fill the sky across portions of the country in April, this will be the last chance to see an eclipse of this nature for the next 21 years. That makes it a momentous occasion and one that skywatchers may very well want to travel to experience for themselves.
This will be the last total solar eclipse in the US until 2045
Total solar eclipses are already must-see astronomy events, but the fact that 2024’s will be the last until 2045 makes it even more important. AccuWeather says that the eclipse in 2024 will be an “encore” of 2017’s Great American Eclipse, so it should be just as spectacular when it fills the sky.
The eclipse will take place on April 8, 2024, and if you want to experience it fully, you’ll need to be in what scientists call the “path of totality.” According to Great American Eclipse, this path will carry the Sun’s shadow as the moon passes in front of it across parts of Texas and up to Maine. The path of totality will begin at 1:27 p.m. CDT in Texas and end at 3:35 p.m. EDT in Maine.
If you’ve never seen a total solar eclipse, this is one of the best opportunities that you’ll get to see one in person, especially since the next one won’t be viewable in the United States until 2045. If you like in cities like Austin, Uvalde, Killeen, Fort Worth, or Dallas in Texas, then you won’t need to travel anywhere to see the eclipse, as it will be completely covered for two to three minutes, depending on where you live. You’ll also be some of the first in the states to spot it when the path of totality begins.
Other cities that will be able to view the last total solar eclipse for 21 years include:
- Toledo, Ohio
- Dayton, Ohio
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Buffalo, New York
- Rochester, New York
For a full list of all the cities that will be able to easily view the path of totality, head over to Great American Eclipse. The folks there have also put together a handy gif, as well as notations of how long the eclipse’s totality will be viewable from those areas when it happens.
What makes this eclipse so spectacular?
Aside from the sheer beauty of a total solar eclipse, this eclipse is special for a number of reasons. First, there’s of course, the number of people that will be able to easily see it. The eclipse in 2024 will be readily viewable to over 30 million people, whereas 2017’s was only readily viewable to 12 million.
Second, getting a full solar eclipse that actually passes over somewhere as big as the United States is rare. These eclipses often happen often once a year or every few years. However, they usually happen in the middle of nowhere, making livestreams the only way to see them. So, to see this one spreading across such a large chunk of the United States is extremely notable.
Then, of course, there’s the fact that this is the last total solar eclipse in the US for the next 20 years or so. For many, it could be the last chance to see an eclipse of that nature. Considering how beautiful they are, people aren’t going to want to miss out on this particular eclipse.
