Audrey Claire Davis and Jeremy Tanner
14 hours ago
(KRQE/NEXSTAR) – NASA has released a detailed map showing the paths of the 2023 annular eclipse and the 2024 total solar eclipse.
It’s not too early to start planning where you’ll be for one of the most awe-inspiring natural phenomena the world has to offer.
On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross the western and southern regions of the United States. During an annular eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and Earth, creating a “ring of fire” effect.
The following year, some residents of the United States will be treated to a total eclipse, when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun, darkening one’s surroundings to a dawn- or dusk-like state for several minutes.
The total eclipse path, on April 8, 2024, runs from Texas to Maine.
How to use the card
The dark belts laid across the map show the paths where the largest area of the sun will be covered by the moon, according to NASA, and are the best positions to witness the eclipses. The path of yellow ovals represents the annular eclipse, and the purple ovals show the total eclipse.
The ovals have times inside them that tell you what shape the moon’s shadow will look like at that time.
To get the best view, you want to be as close to the center of the belt as possible. Parallel lines in the belt show you how long the eclipse will be visible, depending on where you are. In Carbondale, Illinois, for example, the total eclipse will be visible for 4 minutes, but only 3 minutes in Dallas, Texas.
Lucky residents who live near San Antonio, where the two paths intersect on the map, won’t have to travel far to see both eclipses.
A total solar eclipse visible from the United States is a rare event, with the last occurring in 2017.