Eclipse tomorrow 4.8.24 will be the last over the US for 20 years

[Psyren]

Wasn't sure if this belonged here or in Mad Science. Wanted to give American Playgrounders a heads up that tomorrow's solar eclipse will be the last one we're getting over the continental US for quite a while (next one will be 2044 over the PNW).

The exact times will vary depending on where you are (see below) but for most folks in the path it will occur in the afternoon between 1pm and 4pm EST.

General info on the eclipse + city/zip-code lookup for totality/peak times

Where to get/buy ISO/AAS certified solar eclipse viewing glasses (Short version, local libraries get a bunch of these, or you can usually find them for sale at places like Walmart, Lowes, and even a number of grocery store chains - usually they are displayed near the checkout. You can also try shopping online but your chances of getting a pair that way in time if you buy today are slim.)

Tomorrow's eclipse as well as the next several have been mapped out as well.

Spoiler: Future Eclipses Map

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[DavidSh]

I think "contiguous US" is more accurate here than "continental US", since for the March 30, 2033 eclipse, totality would be visible from parts of mainland Alaska, such as Nome. Probably the weather will be terrible there, at least to those of us not from Alaska or northern Canada.

[Peelee]

I think "contiguous US" is more accurate here than "continental US", since for the March 30, 2033 eclipse, totality would be visible from parts of mainland Alaska, such as Nome. Probably the weather will be terrible there, at least to those of us not from Alaska or northern Canada.

I can see the reasoning for thinking continental US includes Alaska, but I've always seen continental US used to refer to the 48 states excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories. For example, Pew Research uses it this way, and the US federal government designation OCONUS (Outside CONtinental US) includes also includes Alaska along with Hawaii, territories, and foreign countries (this is mostly used in context of employment locations/pay adjustments).

[J-H]

Thanks, that's a pretty neat map!

[Ionathus]

We traveled for this eclipse and are now facing significant cloud cover. I’m holding out hope but if we miss totality I’m going to be pretty devastated.

Please send good vibes our way!

[DavidSh]

I can see the reasoning for thinking continental US includes Alaska, but I've always seen continental US used to refer to the 48 states excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories. For example, Pew Research uses it this way, and the US federal government designation OCONUS (Outside CONtinental US) includes also includes Alaska along with Hawaii, territories, and foreign countries (this is mostly used in context of employment locations/pay adjustments).

If we are going to cite authority, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory agrees with me, concluding "Best to specify the meaning on first use of the phrase."

Either way, I thought it interesting to point out the Alaskan appearance. Hawaii (neither continental nor continuous) doesn't get any total eclipses this century, just a couple of annular eclipses. I don't see anything for the insular possessions like Guam or American Samoa.

For our European members, Iceland and northern Spain get a total solar eclipse in August of 2026. Also parts of Greenland.

[Peelee]

If we are going to cite authority, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory agrees with me, concluding "Best to specify the meaning on first use of the phrase."

Either way, I thought it interesting to point out the Alaskan appearance. Hawaii (neither continental nor continuous) doesn't get any total eclipses this century, just a couple of annular eclipses. I don't see anything for the insular possessions like Guam or American Samoa.

For our European members, Iceland and northern Spain get a total solar eclipse in August of 2026. Also parts of Greenland.

Well, to take a phrase from NREL, in its strictest sense I wasn't citing authority for strict definitions so much as showing how "continental US" is most commonly used, which agrees with Psyren, as i suspect you'd agree that the US military, Department of Defense, Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security (the most common organizations to use "OCONUS") are going to be more familiar among most people and have more usage of the phrase than NREL.

The Alaska occurrence is neat though! I think if I was going to travel OCONUS (choose your own C) I'd probably shoot for New Zealand in 2028.

[Bartmanhomer]

That was an eclipse in my country (USA) many years ago.

[DavidSh]

That was an eclipse in my country (USA) many years ago.

There was a total eclipse in 2017, visible from a path stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. Before that, the latest visible from the US I see in the maps (NASA Reference Publication 1178) was in 1991, visible from the big island of Hawaii.

Northern parts of New York City saw a total eclipse in January of 1925, although, if it wasn't snowing, it would have been seen better from upriver in Poughkeepsie. I doubt there are many alive today who remember that one.

Today it clouded up for me, but an occasional break in the clouds revealed a thin crescent sun. Fortunately, I found my old eclipse glasses from 2009 (China).

[tomandtish]

Austin TX area here. We had a lot of cloud cover early, but it cleared out right in time for the main event. Saw a nice corona and one solar flare.

[Ionathus]

We visited friends in Waco. Watched the eclipse from their apartment’s pool. The clouds parted and we got 4 full minutes of totality. The coolest natural phenomenon I’ve ever seen with my own eyes.

[WalkingTarget]

I drove to Indianapolis and fretted about the "partly cloudy" forecasts that had been in place all week. On the day we just had high, wispy clouds and it was clear for totality so I was happy.

I also took my little point-and-shoot digital camera, but it's at least one that has a 25x optical zoom and I own a tripod, so I was pretty happy with the pictures I managed to get.