Will the solar eclipse be seen in Florida? Sort of, with these viewing parties

Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Tampa Bay Times
Updated ·5 min read

Even though Florida isn’t in the sweet spot in the middle of the country where folks can witness a total solar eclipse on April 8, we will still experience a partial eclipse that day, and there are some viewing parties planned in the Tampa Bay area.

There will be a celebration on Clearwater Beach, an educational setup at St. Petersburg College and special solar telescopes available at Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, among others. Just be sure to keep safety in mind and protect your eyes, scientists warn.

Between about 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. that day, the path of the eclipse will move from Mexico and proceed northeast across the United States. The moon is going to pass in front of the sun, bringing a few minutes of darkness similar to dusk.

Prime viewing will be in a swath across the Midwest and Canada, including the cities of Dallas; Indianapolis; Cleveland; Buffalo, New York; and Montreal. But we won’t be totally left out in Florida.

“Here in St. Petersburg, we will see a partial eclipse, with 65% of the sun covered by the moon at eclipse maximum,” said St. Petersburg College professor Craig Joseph, who heads SPC’s planetarium. “Because only a portion of the sun will be covered, this unique event can be viewed only if special precautions are taken to reduce the sun’s brilliance to safe levels.”

The college will host a viewing of the eclipse on April 8 between 1:30 and 4 p.m., where they will supply eclipse viewers and telescopes with solar filters. They will be set up in the “quad” area of the St. Petersburg/Gibbs campus, near the southwest entrance of the West St. Petersburg Library at 6700 Eighth Ave. N.

Joseph said the bay area will notice things changing at 1:43 p.m. when the moon first touches the sun’s disc.

“Over the next 77 minutes, more and more of the sun will be covered by the moon, with mid-eclipse occurring just before 3 p.m.,” Joseph said, adding that the last of it will end at 4:14 p.m.

Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival will team up for a special viewing party on Clearwater Beach. Beachgoers can pick up free eclipse glasses at the Visit St. Pete/Clearwater booth at the Sugar Sand Festival starting at noon.

“It is bound to create a special viewing experience during our picturesque springtime sunshine,” an announcement said.

The Sugar Sand Festival, an annual sand-sculpting event that runs March 29 to April 14, will have a special live sand-sculpting display that day to celebrate the total solar eclipse.

“The eclipse gives us the perfect opportunity to host a unique watch party,” said Steve Grimes, chief marketing office for the Visit St. Pete/Clearwater tourism bureau.

The Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa will host a Solar Eclipse Celebration in its outdoor Science Park on April 8 from 1:30-4 p.m. that is included with MOSI admission. They will supply sun-safe solar telescopes with guidance from MOSI astronomers at 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa.

There will also be hands-on eclipse activities led by educators in the Primary Colors Amphitheatre, and worldwide live streams of the eclipse will be on televisions in the museum. And at the eclipse viewing in Science Park, guests can view the eclipse with glasses that can be purchased for $5.

Because the moon is closer to Earth than it was during the 2017 solar eclipse, it will appear slightly larger, resulting in a prolonged period of totality and darkness, NASA points out. The 2017 event lasted around 2 minutes and 40 seconds, while the 2024 eclipse will result in a prolonged period of totality and darkness closer to 4 minutes depending on your location.

“In Florida, we’re not in the path of totality, but we will certainly see a change if we view the sun safely,” said MOSI educator José Cotayo. “From our point of view in Tampa Bay, the moon will block more than 60% of the sun’s solar disc. Remember, it’s never safe to look directly at the sun — even during an eclipse — without appropriate safety gear.”

Other viewing parties in the area include:

Safety Harbor Public Library: There will be a viewing party at Safety Harbor Waterfront Park from 1:30-4 p.m. The library will be passing out free eclipse glasses. 105 Veterans Memorial Lane, Safety Harbor.

Hillsborough County Public libraries: There are multiple libraries streaming the eclipse from NASA TV from 1-3:15 p.m. including John F. Germany Public Library, SouthShore Regional Library and Egypt Lake Partnership Library. In addition, library programs include:

  • The Burton Memorial Library is having a viewing party on its lawn and will be giving out glasses starting at 1 p.m. with a limit of two per family. 302 McLendon St., Plant City.

  • The Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library will have a viewing party for kids where they can learn why solar eclipses occur and create a viewer from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. Registration recommended. 13619 N. 22nd St., Tampa.

Seminole Community Library: Bring chairs, blankets and make a picnic to watch the eclipse behind the library at the St. Petersburg College Seminole Campus, 9200 113th St. N. One pair of eclipse glasses per person for ages 3 and up while supplies last.

Crescent Lake Park: Great Explorations Children’s Museum is hosting a Solar Eclipse Day in which they will explore outer space from inside the planetarium. They will first witness the eclipse in person across the street at Crescent Lake Park starting at 2:45 p.m. (weather permitting) and it is free to join them. Guests are encouraged to bring eye protection. They will return to the planetarium for a show. Admission is $12, $15 for age 1-17. 1925 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg.