2024 solar eclipse is 1 month away: See its path, where to find glasses, how to prepare

Amelia Benavides-Colón, Detroit Free Press
·4 min read

We're less than one month away from Michigan residents having a rare opportunity to view a total solar eclipse that's expected to cast a sizeable chunk of North America in darkness on April 8.

There's one small sliver of Monroe County, near Toledo, that's expected to be in the path of totality. Residents of Luna Pier, right on Lake Erie, are excited. The head of astronomy at the Cranbrook Institute of Science, Michael Narlock, said the rest of the state will get about 98% sun coverage.

The 2024 solar eclipse will begin at 1:58 p.m. and reach maximum totality, or coverage, around 3:14 p.m. in Detroit and southeast Michigan. It will conclude with a final partial eclipse at 4:27 p.m.

This year’s total eclipse will last longer than the one viewed by more than 20 million people in August 2017, and according to NASA won’t happen again for another 20 years. Fifteen total solar eclipses have been recorded in the U.S. in the last 150 years, with the next one expected in August 2044.

Here's what you need to know and how to prepare for the 2024 total eclipse.

A map showing where the Moon’s shadow will cross the U.S. during the 2023 annular solar eclipse (Oct. 24) and 2024 total solar eclipse (April 8)
A map showing where the Moon’s shadow will cross the U.S. during the 2023 annular solar eclipse (Oct. 24) and 2024 total solar eclipse (April 8)

What is a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth’s orbits, creating an eclipse of Earth’s view of the sun.

The path of totality is the predicted path of the eclipse from Mexico, through the U.S. across Texas and North America to the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The expected duration of totality is around 4 hours, starting around 11:07 a.m. PDT and ending around 5:16 NDT.

States in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse include Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

More: Delta adds flight to Detroit that'll let you view the 2024 solar eclipse from the sky

An eclipse projector is an easy and safe way to view the eclipsed sun.
An eclipse projector is an easy and safe way to view the eclipsed sun.

How to safely watch the 2024 eclipse

Looking directly into a total eclipse can be damaging to the human eye, Narlock said.

"Ultraviolet light can damage your eyes," Narlock said. "You can find glasses that purport to be safe, and while they may cut down the intensity of visible light from the sun, rarely do they cut UV light."

Narlock said the only safe "eclipse glasses" meet the ISO 12312-2 safety standard. This means attempting to DIY a pair could prove harmful and ineffective.

"What you could do at home (instead), and relatively easy, is make a pinhole camera or projector," Narlock said. "Using such a technique you can view the Sun indirectly and safely."

Abby Kruse, a Great Start Readiness Program aid, looks at the sun with her solar eclipse glasses alongside one of her students, Merlin Sorensen, during class at Mason Central Elementary School in Erie on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
Abby Kruse, a Great Start Readiness Program aid, looks at the sun with her solar eclipse glasses alongside one of her students, Merlin Sorensen, during class at Mason Central Elementary School in Erie on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

How to find 2024 solar eclipse glasses

According to NASA's eclipse safety website, the agency does not recommend specific eyewear for eclipse viewing but does recommend glasses that come with an IOS compliance label, or standard, of 12312-2, on the packaging. The eyewear may also be labeled IOS 12312-2:2015. According to NASA, torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged eyewear should be discarded.

While local hardware and big box retailers may have eclipse eyewear on their shelves, buyer beware, especially if they claim to be endorsed by NASA. NASA does not make specific recommendations.

The American Astronomical Society has a list of approved solar-eclipse glasses suppliers here. You'll be able to find eclipse glasses on Amazon in bulk; just ensure they are approved before you buy them.

You also may be able to find free eclipse glasses at your local public library in Michigan, along with special programs. Check your local library for details.

For more information about eclipse safety, go to the American Astronomical Society's website or to NASA.

The timeline of the eclipse across northern Ohio.
The timeline of the eclipse across northern Ohio.

Where can I view the eclipse from Michigan?

Michigan doesn't fall in the line of totality, but the southeast corner of the state, in Monroe County, is along the edge of the path. This means the area will likely dim and temperatures drop a few degrees as the moon's shadow covers the sun.

Here's when you can expect to view the eclipse from your city or area.

Click the cities on the map to see the percentage of totality and the start time in each community.

Free Press reporter Jennifer Dixon and USA TODAY contributed.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Solar eclipse 2024: See its path, get glasses, how to prepare