We are now less than a month away from the latest total solar eclipse that will be visible in our area. But unlike a few years ago the one on April 8 will be a partial eclipse. However, we can expect about 85 percent of the sun to go dark during the noon hour. The closet the path of totality will come to us is Arkansas and western Tennessee.
You may recall that special glasses for viewing the last one were hard to find in the immediately prior to the eclipse. A quick internet search shows that they have probably already gone on sale, especially at the “big box” stores. Click here to find a list of some of the stores offering them or planning to offer them: Solar eclipse glasses: Where to get them for 2024 event, more to know (usatoday.com)
Remember, the best way to protect your eyes is to either view the eclipse indirectly using a pinhole projector or to view it directly with an eclipse viewer. For indirect viewing, do not look at the sun, but instead look at a projection of the sun or a shadow of the eclipse.
Click here to see the path of the eclipse: Eclipse Map – April 8, 2024 – NSO – National Solar Observatory
The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. won’t happen for another 20 yeas – Aug. 23, 2044.
(Image depicts what the sun will look like in Atlanta around noon April 8.)