Alabama solar eclipse events: List of festivals, planetarium celebrations on April 8

Staff reports
·4 min read

We are less than two weeks away before the solar eclipse takes place on Monday, April 8.

While you might already have your eclipse glasses ready to go — take care to watch out for fake glasses — you might still be looking for the perfect place to view the major celestial event.

While Alabama isn't within the path of totality, astronomy clubs and institutions across the state are holding events for residents to catch a glimpse of the eclipse (safely behind glasses, of course.) Here's where to find these events and what to know before the big day.

When is the total solar eclipse in April 2024?

The moon blocks the sun in totality as seen from Deep Creek, Bryson City, North Carolina on August 21, 2017.
The moon blocks the sun in totality as seen from Deep Creek, Bryson City, North Carolina on August 21, 2017.

The total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday, April 8, 2024. The total eclipse will hit the coast of Mexico on April 8, about 11:07 a.m. PDT and leave the continental North America at 5:16 NDT.

The partial eclipse will begin first as the edge of the moon becomes visible, and then about an hour and 20 minutes later the totality will begin and last for three or four minutes before the sun begins to appear again.

Which states will see the total solar eclipse?

Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, plus parts of Tennessee and Michigan, are all in the 115-mile-wide path of totality.

To see the exact path of totality, check out an interactive map created by French eclipse expert Xavier Jubier.

How much of the April 8 total solar eclipse will be visible in Alabama?

This map shows the path of the 2017 total solar eclipse, crossing from Oregon to South Carolina, and the 2024 total solar eclipse, crossing from Mexico into Texas, up to Maine and exiting over Canada.
This map shows the path of the 2017 total solar eclipse, crossing from Oregon to South Carolina, and the 2024 total solar eclipse, crossing from Mexico into Texas, up to Maine and exiting over Canada.

Alabama is not in the path of totality for the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse, so residents won't see the moon completely block the sun. Residents will see a partial eclipse, though.

In Alabama, the moon will cover about 84% of the sun.

What time will the April 8 eclipse be visible in Alabama?

The solar eclipse will begin at 12:40 p.m. April 8 and will end at 3:17 p.m. It will hit maximum coverage in Alabama at 1:59 p.m., said Lee Tinker, the coordinator with the W.A. Gayle Planetarium in Montgomery.

Here's where to watch the solar eclipse in Alabama

  • At the planetarium, Tinker will have a paid show at 10 a.m. April 8 for a maximum of 150 people. Then, he plans to have members of the Auburn Astronomical Society with solar telescopes there for the actual eclipse. Solar telescopes are the only way to see solar flames. If it is rainy or cloudy and Tinker cannot set up the solar telescopes, his back-up plan is to broadcast the live NASA feed on to the planetarium's dome.

  • At the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, there will be events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center is on 1 Tranquility Base in Huntsville. The event will include solar telescope viewing with the Intuitive Planetarium team as well as children's activities. The group will also show a live NASA solar eclipse totality video feed from a field station in Arkansas. People must get tickets for the event. Free eclipse glasses will be available.

  • At the University of Alabama, the Department of Physics and Astronomy will be out with eclipse glasses for safe viewing of the eclipse on Quad. Experts will be on hand to talk about it.

  • At Desoto State Park in Fort Payne, there will be STEM activities and crafts, music and snacks. The team will have eclipse glasses. People can also watch the total eclipse live broadcast "Through the Eyes of NASA? in English and Spanish. The Canyon Center will be open from noon to 4 p.m. for the event.

Don't forget your glasses to watch the eclipse

It is very important to wear approved eye protection ahead of the April 8 solar eclipse. Eclipse glasses can be ordered online, and some local stores and libraries have them. Some 7-11 stores, Lowe's sell them, and some eye doctors and libraries have the glasses. They will get harder to find closer to the eclipse.
It is very important to wear approved eye protection ahead of the April 8 solar eclipse. Eclipse glasses can be ordered online, and some local stores and libraries have them. Some 7-11 stores, Lowe's sell them, and some eye doctors and libraries have the glasses. They will get harder to find closer to the eclipse.

NASA warns viewing any part of the sun with binoculars, a telescope or through a camera lens without a special-purpose solar filter or with your bare eyes without solar viewing glasses can result in severe eye injury.

American Astronomical Society’s website shares a curated list of approved vendors for eclipse glasses. Check the list before purchasing any.

Free solar eclipse glasses are also typically given out by local libraries, schools and observatories. These locations might have limited supplies, so it's best to call ahead to see if they have any available.

USA TODAY-Network Florida's C.A. Bridges and Alex Gladden of the Montgomery Advertiser contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Solar Eclipse 2024: See Alabama festivals, planetarium, events