What time can you view the solar eclipse in Fayetteville? Check our ZIP code search tool

F.T. Norton, Fayetteville Observer
Updated ·3 min read

While North Carolina isn't in the path of totality for the solar eclipse April 8, even here in the Tar Heel State, we'll see a sliver of the celestial action.

At 3:14 p.m. April 8, Fayetteville skywatchers will see about 3/4 of the sun’s face obscured by the moon.

"This will create a deep crescent sun at maximum eclipse," Backyard Universe columnist Johnny Horne said in a recent column. "The closer we are to the eclipse centerline, the more of the sun will be covered."

Related: Where can you watch the 2024 solar eclipse in the Fayetteville area?

Related: Will the skies be clear in Fayetteville for the solar eclipse? History has something to say

Horne said Charlotte folks will see about 80% of the sun covered, while the Outer Banks will see about a 71% eclipse.

"The total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The total solar eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean. Weather permitting, the first location in continental North America that will experience totality is Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 11:07 a.m.," according to NASA.

Weather permitting, people throughout most of North and Central America, including all of the contiguous United States, will view at least a partial solar eclipse.

More: Can't see our graphics?Search your ZIP code for a complete eclipse viewing guide

The path of totality for the 2024 total solar eclipse

The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, enters the United States in Texas, and travels through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, NASA said.

While North Carolinians won't get a full view this time around, the state was fortunate enough to have a front-row seat to a solar eclipse in 2017.

What are the three main types of solar eclipses

There are three main types of solar eclipses, according to NASA:

• Total solar eclipse: For a total eclipse to occur, the sun, moon and earth must be in a direct line. A total solar eclipse is visible from a small area on earth and those who can see one are in the center of the moon’s shadow when it hits the earth.

• Partial solar eclipse: A partial solar eclipse happens when sun, moon and earth are not exactly aligned. The Sun appears to have a dark shadow on a small part of its surface.

• Annular solar eclipse: An annular eclipse happens when the moon is farthest from earth. Because the Moon is farther away, it does not block the entire view of the sun. The moon as it passes the sun will look like a dark disk on top creating what looks like a ring around the moon.

How to see the whole eclipse live?

If you're not inclined to make the nearly 10-hour drive to Erie, Pennslyvania — the closest location to Fayetteville in the path of totality — NASA is offering a live stream of the action on April 8 at NASA TV, NASA.gov, the NASA app, and NASA'S YouTube page.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What time is the total solar eclipse in Fayetteville, North Carolina