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This is a VERY big and exciting year for Earth and Space Sciences in upstate New York. There will be an amazing total solar eclipse in April 2024! The last time a total solar eclipse happened in upstate NY was in January of 1925! The next time a TOTAL solar eclipse will happen ANYWHERE in New York State is estimated to be 2144. Information about that date can be found at: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2023/04/08/one-year-away-from-rare-total-solar-eclipse-in-new-york-state-  

  

The exciting and once in a lifetime experience of a TOTAL eclipse in upstate NY happens on April 8, 2024 starting around 3:16 p.m. Totality, depending on where you are in the shadow band, lasts for somewhere from a few seconds to more than 3 min. and 30 seconds! (That's 50% longer than 2017's partial eclipse). This site: Penn Yan New York eclipse viewing information for the Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024 | eclipse2024.org can help simulate what it will look like if you put the coordinates in of your location; it tells you the amount of time during which you will experience the eclipse.  

Practice viewing the eclipse using special eclipse glasses. This is a great site that explains how to do this safely: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/static/img/smartphone-photography-eclipse/Photographing_the_Eclipse_with_your_Smartphone.pdf  It would also be a great STEM project for students to create a pinhole projector for indirect viewing of the eclipse. There are many sites that show how to make them. This NASA site shows how and gives a bit more information about eclipse safety in general: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2024/apr-8-total/safety/ Remember, don't look directly at the sun with basic safety glasses or point your phone's camera at the sun (you'll burn out the image sensor in your phone); only use the correct solar viewing glasses. With this exciting time coming up, it is highly recommended to get the viewing glasses before they are all bought up in the spring.

 

Many school districts in NYS are off that day. Check with your Earth Science teachers to see if any events are happening through your school. In addition, there are many community organizations that are arranging eclipse events. Find out what your local museums, libraries, and community centers are doing. 

National Links

 

Local Links 

 

Other links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAEUYM4Een4 (watch language but comments are great)