Where is the best place to see the solar eclipse in Rochester?
The best places to witness the eclipse in Rochester include open parks or waterfront areas with unobstructed views of the sky. Here are some ideal locations for experiencing the celestial event in our area.
High Falls
Parcel 5
Cobbs Hill Park
Highland Park
Genesee Valley Park
Ontario Beach Park.
The Rochester Museum and Science Center on East Avenue is also hosting a Roc the Eclipse Festival.
Elsewhere in Monroe County, suggested viewing sites include:
Mendon Ponds Park
Durand-Eastman Park
The campus at the State University College at Brockport
Hamlin Beach State Park
You can also watch the eclipse online. NASA and other organizations will create a link for live eclipse viewing closer to the event.
More: Looking at the sun in an eclipse will fry your eyes painfully. Take it from someone who knows
Eclipse path of totality cuts across 13 U.S. states
Mexico's Pacific coast will be the first location in continental North America to experience totality, which will occur about 11:07 a.m. PDT, according to NASA. As the moon's shadow travels northeast, totality in the U.S. will begin at 1:27 p.m. CDT in Eagle Pass, Texas. From there, the path will cut diagonally across the country before ending around 3:33 p.m. EDT in Lee, Maine, according to nationaleclipse.com.
Starting at 2:07 p.m. April 8 in Rochester, the moon will begin to appear to move in front of the sun. Totality begins at 3:20 p.m. and will last for 3 minutes and 38 seconds (plus or minus a few seconds depending where you are standing.) By 4:33 p.m. the moon will have moved past the sun, returning the light to normal. Along the way, periods of darkness could last a mere few seconds or, in some cities, could surpass four minutes.
Rochester NY in eclipse path of totality
All told, nearly 500 cities in the U.S. are located on the eclipse's path of totality. Some of the major cities include:
Dallas and San Antonio, Texas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Indianapolis
Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio
Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, New York
Erie, Pennsylvania
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Solar eclipse 2024: Where is the best place to see the eclipse on April 8?