Cheryl McCloudUSA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Florida may not be in the "path of totality" for April's solar eclipse, but that doesn't mean we won't see anything.
And that means protecting your eyes, because it's never safe to stare directly at the sun, even during an eclipse.
When is the 2024 solar eclipse?
The total solar eclipse will take place Monday, April 8, 2024.
Totality in the U.S. will begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. Central Time and end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. Eastern Time.
Florida residents should start to see the eclipse beginning about 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time, with the midpoint at 2:55.
It's the first since 2017, and your last chance to see a total solar eclipse for 20 years, according to NASA.
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth.
What is a total solar eclipse and the path of totality?
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth and completely blocks the face of the sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. How much the sky darkens depends on how close you are to the "path of totality," according to NASA.
The path of totality is the track of the moon's shadow across the earth's surface where the moon will completely block the sun, leaving the sun's corona visible.
For the April 8, 2024, event, it will be a 115-mile-wide swath that begins in northern Mexico and ends over Newfoundland, Canada.
What states are in the path of totality?
More than a dozen U.S. states from Texas to Maine are in the path of totality for the April 8 eclipse, according to NASA.
What's become known as the Great North American Eclipse will start in the South Pacific Ocean, pass from Mexico into Oklahoma, and travel diagonally across the U.S. through New Hampshire until it leaves continental North America over Newfoundland.
How long will the Great North American eclipse last?
The totality portion of the eclipse will last 4 minutes and 28 seconds, according to weather.gov. The entire event from start to finish will take about 2.5 hours, according to Exploratorium.edu.
How much of the solar eclipse will Florida see?
While Florida is not within the path of totality, we'll still be able to see part of it.
From just over half of the sun to over 3/4 of it will be obscured by the moon in Florida, depending on where you are in the state. The farther north you are, more of the sun will be blocked by the moon.
Pensacolians will see just over 80% coverage at the midpoint, according toeclipse2024.com.
The farther south or southeast you go, the less of an eclipse you'll see. Tallahassee will get 75.4% coverage, Jacksonville about 70%. Central Florida will be in the mid-60% range. Southwestern Florida will see about 60% of the sun blocked, Palm Beach 58%, Miami 55.7%, and down in the Keys it'll be 55.1%.
Florida residents should start to see the eclipse beginning around 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time, with the midpoint at 2:55 p.m.
Do you need solar eclipse glasses if you're not in the path of totality?
Yes. The sun can burn the eyes and damage the retinas and even cause blindness if you don't wear eye protection or take other precautions, even during an eclipse.
Sunglasses are not dark enough to protect your eyes. Looking at the sun through a camera lens, binoculars or telescopes won't help, either.
Solar eclipse glasses are 100,000 times darker to block nearly all visible, infrared and ultraviolet light. They need to comply with theISO 12312-2international standard.
The American Astronomical Society offers links on its website of vendors selling approved solar eclipse glasses.
Solar eclipse glasses also are available on Amazon, but triple check to make sure they comply with all safety standards.
Some Florida libraries offer free solar eclipse glasses
StarNet Libraries offers free solar glasses for libraries through is Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries program. The organization sent out 5 million solar-viewing glasses to 10,000 libraries.
Several libraries in Florida participate in the program, but call first to see if they have any left.
Can't get solar eclipse glasses? You can go DIY and make your own solar viewer
Create your own pinhole projector to project the sun onto a nearby surface. The American Astronomical Society offersinstructionsto set them up.
Here's how to safely make an eclipse viewer and how to use it:
- Get a cardboard box, a white sheet of paper, tape, scissors, and piece of aluminum foil.
- Prick a pinhole in the foil.
- Tape the foil over one side of the box.
- Tape the white sheet of paper to the inside of the other side of the box.
- Stand with the sun behind you.
- Light will stream through the pinhole, projecting an image of the sun onto the white paper.
- Look into the box through another hole you cut into the box to see the projected image.
- Do not look at the sun through the pinhole.
What else can you use to safely see the eclipse?
Be creative.
You can use anything with a hole to cast the sun's image on a driveway or sidewalk, or piece of paper. Think cracker, colander, slotted spoon, a hole in a piece of cardboard, etc.
You can even see the moon passing over the sun by looking at the shadows cast by the light passing through the leaves of trees.
Can you use a welding helmet to watch the solar eclipse?
That depends. NASA said welding helmets with a Shade 12 or higher protection is safe. If you're not sure, don't use it.
C.A. Bridges contributed to this report.
