Where to watch the solar eclipse 2024. A guide to places and events in MetroWest

Daily News Staff
·3 min read

What are you doing April 8?

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ve probably heard by now that there will be a solar eclipse that day.

Most Americans will be able to see the eclipse in some form, although not everyone will be in the path of totality.

The path of totality will cross 11 states, including Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. While this region won't see a total eclipse — expect 90% totality in Massachusetts — Bay Staters can still get in on the fun.

"In Framingham, we will have about 93% of the sun being obscured, although that 7% of the sun is still going to provide a lot of light," Kristin Chon, an assistant professor of astronomy at Framingham State University, told the Daily News earlier this month. "If you are not paying attention at the right time, you won't notice it, but you will still be able to see something in MetroWest."

Lucy Sisto, then 11, of Millis, looks up to the sky to view the August 2017 solar eclipse at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon.
Lucy Sisto, then 11, of Millis, looks up to the sky to view the August 2017 solar eclipse at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon.

Solar eclipse 2024: What time is the solar eclipse in Framingham? Find out here with your ZIP code

The April 8 eclipse will only last for a few minutes, and is expected to begin near MetroWest at about 3:25 p.m.

There are several nearby spots where you can pick up eclipse glasses in order to view this celestial phenomenon safely:

  • The EcoTarium in Worcester will host an eclipse viewing event in their Sun Dial Plaza.

  • The Watertown Public Library will host an eclipse viewing event from 2-4 p.m. at Saltonstall Field, adjacent to the library. In the event of bad weather, we will show a livestream of the eclipse inside the library.

Parks are the place to be

Your favorite MassAudubon wildlife sanctuary could be the perfect spot to witness the eclipse outdoors. The Department of Conservation and Recreation properties across Massachusetts are also great spots to enjoy it.

Several state parks are hosting special free programs and offering free eclipse glasses, while supplies last. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Some areas charge a parking fee.

All DCR eclipse events are from 2:20-4:20 p.m. Check the DCR website for more information:

  • Blackstone Heritage River and Canal Heritage State Park, 287 Oak St., Uxbridge

  • Blue Hills Reservation, 725 Hillside St., Milton

  • Borderland State Park, 259 Massapoag Ave., North Easton

  • Nickerson State Park, 3488 Main St., Brewster

  • Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 131 Waquoit Hwy., East Falmouth

  • Halibut Point State Park, 4 Gott Avenue, Rockport

  • Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls

  • Mt. Greylock State Reservation, 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough

Full eclipse experience just a few hours away

Don't mind a road trip? You can witness the April 8 eclipse in its entirety from many areas that are not so far away, according to Tim Brothers, technical instructor and observatory manager at the MIT Wallace Astrophysical Observatory in Westford.

"While the entirety of New England will experience the solar eclipse on April 8, if you want to see the "totality" of the total solar eclipse, you need to be within the path," Brothers told Wicked Local. "Fortunately, this path covers much of northern and western New England, including New York, although it does not pass over Massachusetts."

"If you do make it to the path of totality, expect the eclipse to start shortly after 2 p.m. The totality will start after 3 p.m. and the eclipse itself will conclude after 4:30 p.m."

Among the places where viewers can see a total eclipse include Burlington, Vermont (3:26 p.m.); Lancaster, New Hampshire (3:27 p.m.); and Caribou, Maine (3:32 p.m.), according to NASA.

"Where you pick your spot within the path will dictate how long you experience the totality," Brothers said. "This will range from roughly two minutes at the edges to about three-and-a-half minutes in the center of the path. Fortunately, the path will be roughly 100 miles wide."

Jesse Collings of the Daily News, Seth Jacobson of Wicked Local, and the staff at the Herald News in Fall River all contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Solar eclipse 2024 places to watch and events in the Framingham area