• how to prepare,
• where to get free eclipse viewing glasses in Austin, Texas,
• when and where to be on Monday April 8th, 2024.
Time and Date, [https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/austin?iso=20240408]
April 8, 2024 — Great North American Eclipse (Total Solar Eclipse)
• What happens during a total solar eclipse?
• What the Eclipse Will Look Like near the Maximum Point
• Where to See the Eclipse, Austin, TX, USA
• The animation shows what the eclipse approximately looks like in Austin.
Google Eclipse Map with geolocation -- Take this link with you as you panic and drive somewhere "better" to see the total eclipse: http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2024_GoogleMapFull.html
CITY OF AUSTIN, TX: FREE GLASSES (quantities limited) and PUBLIC LIBRARY WATCH PARTIES
Get Ready Central Texas: Total Eclipse on April 8, 2024 [https://www.austintexas.gov/readycentraltexas/eclipse]
• Safety Tips & How to Prepare
• Plan accordingly.
• Protect yourself and your family from sun-related injuries.
• Where to Get Eclipse Glasses
• City of Austin Locations for Eclipse Glasses
All Austin Public Library branches and the Central Library will have a limited number of free eclipse glasses available for the public starting on Thursday, April 4, while supplies last.
Eclipse Watch Parties will be taking place at the following APL branches on the day of the Eclipse:
• Cepeda Branch
• Hampton Branch at Oak Hill
• Menchaca Branch
• North Village Branch
• Old Quarry Branch
• Pleasant Hill Branch
• Twin Oaks Branch
• Willie Mae Kirk Branch
• Windsor Park Branch
There will also be an Eclipse Watch Party at the Central Library, featuring a pop-up exhibit from NASA. Free eclipse glasses will also be available for participants at Watch Parties.
Beginning March 11, City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department will begin distributing 10,000 free eclipse glasses at the following locations:
• Recreation Centers
• Senior Centers
• Austin Nature & Science Center
Community members are encouraged to recycle their eclipse glasses at local municipal recreation centers and libraries.
Travis County Parks [https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/solar-eclipse]
Find a great spot to camp under the stars and witness our moon covering the sun. Learn more about our two parks open for camping for this out of this world event on April 8, 2024! Reservations are open from 4/5/2024 to 4/10/2024.
LCRA's Guide to LCRA Parks [https://outreach.as.utexas.edu/pdf/LCRA-2024-eclipse.pdf]
• LCRA Parks will have eight locations along the Colorado River offering
unobstructed views of this event.
University of Texas, Department of Astronomy [UT's Solar Eclipse Events: https://eclipse.utexas.edu/]
Monday April 8, 2024 Total eclipse
Partial eclipse starts - 12:17 p.m.
Totality - 1:36:10 p.m. to 1:37:58 p.m.
Partial eclipse ends - 2:58 p.m.
Eclipse times are for the center of the UT campus
• What's the difference between an annular eclipse and a total eclipse?
• Eye Safety
• Activities and Training
• Events and Where to Watch
Austin, TX Long Center Total Eclipse Viewing Party [free tickets (quantity limited): https://thelongcenter.org/events/total-eclipse-viewing-party/]
• Free but tickets required: FREE eclipse viewing party on the Long Center. Doors open at 11AM; eclipse occurring at 1:36PM local time. The event will feature 4 hours of entertainment, centered around the total eclipse and will provide opportunities for guests to engage with astronomers and celebrate together with the community. All guests will receive complimentary viewing glasses.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ECLIPSE:
Safety [https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/]
Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.
When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. You can also use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector.
Great American Eclipse [https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/texas-2024-eclipse]
Texas boasts the best weather forecast along the path in April, and has an excellent highway system and abundant accommodations in Dallas, Ft Worth, Austin, and San Antonio. Some cities with long durations of totality include Eagle Pass, Uvalde, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Llano, Lampasas, Killeen, Waco, Sulphur Springs, and the southeastern suburbs of Dallas.
A remarkable fact is that the entire metropolitan area of Dallas and Fort Worth, a megalopolis of 7 million people, is entirely inside the path of totality! In fact, 12 million people in Texas reside within the path of totality, by far the largest of any state in the US.
For eclipse viewing, mobility is essential especially in case of inclement weather. Within Texas, Interstate 10 from Junction to San Antonio is within the path and offers quick relocation if clouds threaten. The long stretch of Interstate 35 from Austin to Waco to Fort Worth and Dallas will be a key route for many eclipse chasers, an ideal traffic corridor if relocation is needed.
A major eclipse viewing event will be held in Waco, Texas on eclipse day that is hosted by the Lowell Observatory, Discovery Channel, Baylor University, and the city of Waco. Find out more at eclipseovertexas2024.com.
The total solar eclipse first enters Texas at the international border at 1:27 pm CDT leaves Texas at the Oklahoma and Arkansas borders at 1:49 pm CDT. Through Texas, the speed of the Moon’s shadow will accelerate from about 1580 miles per hour to about 1850 miles per hour.
Here you'll find more info on:
• Animation simulates a view of the total eclipse from a spacecraft 100 miles high, chasing the shadow along its arc.
• Get your eclipse glasses early!
• Learn the simple methods to safely view a solar eclipse.
• Plan ahead. If you choose to stay in a hotel, be aware that most will sell out.
• Get to your destination early
• Be self-sufficient. Fill up your gas tank and bring food and water.
• Check the local TV weather reports as eclipse day approaches.
• We recommend www.eclipsophile.com as the essential site for eclipse meteorology.
• Unless you are an experienced photographer, we recommend that you not attempt photography during the eclipse.
• Our advice is to stack your odds by paying attention to short-term weather forecasts and if poor weather is forecast, jump in your car very early on eclipse day (or the evening before) and drive either to the southwest or northeast to chase after clear skies. You will never regret the effort to seek out a clear view of a total eclipse of the Sun, it will register in your memory all your life.
Site includes an excellent list of links for regional information sources such as the Texas Hill Country, Waxahachie, Waco, McKinney, Granbury, Fredericksburg, Uvalde, Kerrville, Hondo, and Junction.
