Total solar eclipse - April 8th 2024 - Southern Ontario

What is a Total Solar Eclipse?

The Sun and Moon appear to be the same size in the sky, since the Sun is both 400 times farther away than the Moon, and 400 times it’s angular diameter. This coincidence leads to the Moon passing in front of the Sun occasionally (roughly once per year on average).

When this happens, the Moon covers the brightest parts of the Sun and allows the fiery corona of the Sun to be seen, creating a gorgeous natural phenomenon that is only visible for at most 7 minutes.

The challenge to observing such an eclipse is that the shadow of the Moon is small compared to Earth, only about 500 Km wide. This means that to see such an event you need to be in the right place on Earth for those precious 7 minutes. Since most of the Earth is covered with water, this often occurs in the ocean.

Why is April 8th, 2024 such a big deal?

This will be a total solar eclipse that is visible mainly over land, and visible to hundreds of millions of people who can travel within an hour of home. This makes it an accessible event and a big moment for advocates of science and nature, wanting to share this with everyone.

Can I see it?

It does depend on where you live, but for southern Ontario, you need to be close to the great lakes Ontario or Erie. The best spot in Canada to watch the eclipse will be in the Niagara Falls region, as it is far enough south to see the totality for a reasonable amount of time. Check out this eclipse map to see where you need to be.

For more detailed information on viewing locations, go to https://eclipse2024.org/

How do I view it?

Eclipses like this can be damaging to your eyes, as you are looking directly at the Sun, and even a sliver of the Sun’s disk can cause permanent and severe eye damage. Regular sunglasses will not help, and do not protect against the intense rays of the Sun.

If you are viewing the eclipse in totality, you can observe it safely for a few seconds at a time, but otherwise you will need proper equipment such as eclipse glasses or a specialized telescope.