It was 2:38 p.m. on August 21, 2017, when day turned to night. That was the precise moment in Greenville, South Carolina, when the moon, passing between the sun and Earth, fully blocked our view of the sun.
Birds squawked in weird intonations, a few stars dotted a purplish sky, and the temperature felt like it dropped several degrees. I took my protective glasses off—something you can only do during totality—and was awestruck to see the sun’s corona flaring around the moon. Feeling euphoric, I finally understood why so-called eclipse chasers travel the world in pursuit of them.
When I learned the next solar eclipse in North America would be on April 8, 2024, I knew I would have to see it. Here’s what I learned about where and how best to experience this celestial wonder, which won’t occur again in the continental U.S. until 2044.
What to know about the 2024 eclipse
The April 8, 2024, eclipse will in some ways be better than the 2017 one. “It’s a long one, with over four minutes of totality. Because of the length of duration, it’s going to get much darker than in 2017 during totality,” says Bob Baer, a specialist at the School of Physics and Applied Physics at Southern Illinois University and co-chairperson of Southern Illinois Eclipse 2017-2024 Steering Committee. “The sun is very active now and will likely produce a corona larger than we saw in 2017, when we were in a period of low solar activity.”
As the moon blocks the sun’s light, it casts a shadow, creating a trail as Earth rotates. This shadow trail is called the path of totality. In the hours before and after the total eclipse, a partial eclipse is viewable, with the moon partially obscuring the sun. You must wear protective eclipse glasses when viewing a partial eclipse. Any locations outside the narrow path of totality will only see a partial eclipse.
“The second thing to consider is the weather,” says French. “Pick a spot along the path likely to be cloud-free in early April.” Most scientists agree that Mexico and Texas are most likely to have the best weather. “The worst weather statistics along the path of totality are in Quebec, with less than a 15 percent chance of clear skies on the day,” says French.
“Partially cloudy is not a bad outlook for eclipse viewing, but overcast is not good at all,” Baer says. “Clouds can add an interesting element during an eclipse, as long as you can still see the sun, which you can through thin clouds or in between thicker clouds.” At the eclipse event he is organizing in Carbondale, Illinois—which is in the path for the second time after also experiencing the 2017 eclipse—they will show live TV broadcasts from other destinations in the event of bad weather in Carbondale.
Large city or small town?
Deciding to view the eclipse at a large city versus a small town or rural area depends on your preference. While big cities have better infrastructure, more accommodations, and are more accessible via car or plane, they will also have larger crowds.
The best destination may depend on any number of factors. “Will there be a picturesque view? Will there be trees to project the shape of the crescent sun on the ground? Will there be animals around that react to the eclipse themselves? Any combination of these things will enhance the unforgettable experience for you,” says French.
“I encourage people to go to educational-based venues to see eclipses, such as a college campus, science center, museum, or planetarium, and I especially recommend this for families,” says Baer. “For people who are into nature and want a more private experience, seeing it in a natural area is also great. The bottom line is, see it, and enjoy it in the way that you want to.”
Plan ahead. Or not.
Once you choose your destination, book transportation, accommodation, and any festivals or events you want to attend as early as possible. But if you’re flexible and like to live on the edge a bit, says eclipse guide Paul D. Maley, “check the long-range weather about five days beforehand and see where the weather is predicted to be clear on April 8. If you can, get to that location by any means possible, but by car would give the best advantage. That way, you’ll maximize your mobility, especially if the forecast changes at the last minute.”
Either way, order your ISO-approved eclipse glasses in advance. Additionally, plan to arrive at your chosen destination at least one or more days prior to April 8, and expect traffic delays.
Be safe and aware during totality
To prevent eye damage during the partial eclipse phase, you must wear eclipse glasses before and after totality. “As you see the moon’s edge encroaching on the final thin crescent of the sun—get ready,” advises French. “As soon as the sun vanishes from your solar glasses, whip them off and enjoy the view.”
Maley recommends using binoculars during totality “to view the sun, which gives a closer view of the small, reddish jets of hydrogen suspended at the edge of the sun’s disc.” He also advises, “Do not spend 100 percent of your time attempting to photograph the eclipse. Always allow your eyes and brain to take in as much of the magic as possible.”
Most hotel rooms: Texas
Texas has three of the largest cities in the path of totality: San Antonio (but only half of it is actually in the path), Dallas, and Austin. These cities’ massive sizes mean they are prepared for the influx of eclipse visitors, including having plenty of hotel rooms.
San Antonio has more than 50,000 hotel rooms and has dubbed its celebrations Fiesta del Sol. The city has a plethora of unique viewing sites, from a brewery to caverns to an amusement park. La Cantera Resort & Spa is a 550-acre oasis atop one of the highest points in San Antonio. The resort is partnering with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Department of Physics and Astronomy for an educational experience package for guests.
Austin is home to more than 49,000 hotel rooms, including Hotel Viata, which is offering an eclipse-themed spa package, guided meditation, and sound bath activities, and an astronomer-led dinner party on April 7.
Plenty of smaller Texas towns are also in the path of totality, and Texas’ generally sunny weather makes it an attractive choice. French himself will be watching the eclipse from the town of Eagles Pass.
Best place to get married during the eclipse: Russellville, Arkansas
This moderately sized Arkansas town of 30,000 (expected to balloon to more than 90,000 during the eclipse) will experience more than four minutes of totality. It is one of NASA’s official locations from which the organization will broadcast on April 8.
Downtown Russellville will host Moon Over Main, a free art and live music festival; hot-air balloon rides; and an opportunity for lovebirds to make it official with an eclipse marriage ceremony during totality.
Best place to camp: Booneville and Paris, Arkansas
The eclipse will make its way over the Ozark Mountains in northwestern Arkansas, which offers several campsites. The small Ozark town of Booneville and the surrounding area provide an array of camping opportunities. The center of town is the setting of a festival on April 8 with live music.
In the Arkansas River Valley, the tiny town of Paris at the base of Mount Magazine State Park (the highest point in the state) has several RV and tent campsite spaces to book.
Best city to get up close to NASA experts: Indianapolis, Indiana
NASA will be broadcasting from the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway (home to the Indy 500), taking over the iconic location for a day-long celebration with live broadcasts, NASA astronauts, and STEM activities. Camping is available on the grounds. The city, which is asking all homes and businesses to turn out the lights during the eclipse to help with light pollution, is also home to the world’s largest children’s museum, which will host an Eclipse Extravaganza. Newfields, the campus of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, will host Total Eclipse of the Art.
Best family-friendly destination: Ohio
Ohio has two great cities in the path, each ideal for families: Wapakoneta and Cleveland. Wapakoneta (pop. 9,957) is the hometown of Neil Armstrong. During eclipse weekend, families can check out the Moon Menu Trail at local restaurants and visit the Armstrong Air & Space Museum. There will also be a four-day festival at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds; guided bus tours of “Wapakoneta As Neil Armstrong Knew It”; and space-themed art exhibits and eclipse photography at Riverside Arts Center.
Cleveland will host the three-day Total Eclipse Fest 2024 at its lakefront downtown district, together with the NASA Glenn Visitor Center and the Great Lakes Science Center. There will be hands-on science activities, a free concert by the Cleveland Orchestra, food vendors, and NASA experts on-site. NASA TV, NASA’s live streaming service, will be broadcasting live.
Imagine seeing the eclipse with one of the world’s most iconic waterfalls thundering in the background. Niagara Falls State Park has various vantage points ideal for glimpsing the natural phenomenon, and there will be interpretive staff offering educational programming in conjunction with the event.
Best museums: Rochester, New York
The city of Rochester in Upstate New York is an ideal mid-sized city that’s easily accessible, with some world-class museums to round out your eclipse visit. A four-day festival is being planned, along with many other events. The Rochester Museum & Science Center will hold the three-day Roc the Eclipse Festival, filled with hands-on activities, speakers, music, food, and more.
If you have kids, consider The Strong National Museum of Play, which will mark the eclipse with a three-day celebration themed around playing with light. Genesee Country Village & Museum, the third largest living history museum in the U.S., will offer special programming and eclipse-viewing opportunities, including spots in the museum’s Great Meadow or in the Vintage Baseball Field.
Devorah Lev-Tov is a Brooklyn-based travel and food journalist with bylines in the New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Vogue,Afar, and Smithsonian.
More than 40 trillion gallons of rain drenched the Southeast United States in the last week from Hurricane Helene and a run-of-the-mill rainstorm that sloshed in ahead of it — an unheard of amount of water that has stunned experts.
That’s enough to fill the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium 51,000 times, or Lake Tahoe just once. If it was concentrated just on the state of North Carolina that much water would be 3.5 feet deep (more than 1 meter). It’s enough to fill more than 60 million Olympic-size swimming pools.
“That’s an astronomical amount of precipitation,” said Ed Clark, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “I have not seen something in my 25 years of working at the weather service that is this geographically large of an extent and the sheer volume of water that fell from the sky.”
The flood damage from the rain is apocalyptic, meteorologists said. More than 100 people are dead, according to officials.
Private meteorologist Ryan Maue, a former NOAA chief scientist, calculated the amount of rain, using precipitation measurements made in 2.5-mile-by-2.5 mile grids as measured by satellites and ground observations. He came up with 40 trillion gallons through Sunday for the eastern United States, with 20 trillion gallons of that hitting just Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Florida from Hurricane Helene.
Clark did the calculations independently and said the 40 trillion gallon figure (151 trillion liters) is about right and, if anything, conservative. Maue said maybe 1 to 2 trillion more gallons of rain had fallen, much if it in Virginia, since his calculations.
Clark, who spends much of his work on issues of shrinking western water supplies, said to put the amount of rain in perspective, it’s more than twice the combined amount of water stored by two key Colorado River basin reservoirs: Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
Several meteorologists said this was a combination of two, maybe three storm systems. Before Helene struck, rain had fallen heavily for days because a low pressure system had “cut off” from the jet stream — which moves weather systems along west to east — and stalled over the Southeast. That funneled plenty of warm water from the Gulf of Mexico. And a storm that fell just short of named status parked along North Carolina’s Atlantic coast, dumping as much as 20 inches of rain, said North Carolina state climatologist Kathie Dello.
Then add Helene, one of the largest storms in the last couple decades and one that held plenty of rain because it was young and moved fast before it hit the Appalachians, said University of Albany hurricane expert Kristen Corbosiero.
“It was not just a perfect storm, but it was a combination of multiple storms that that led to the enormous amount of rain,” Maue said. “That collected at high elevation, we’re talking 3,000 to 6000 feet. And when you drop trillions of gallons on a mountain, that has to go down.”
The fact that these storms hit the mountains made everything worse, and not just because of runoff. The interaction between the mountains and the storm systems wrings more moisture out of the air, Clark, Maue and Corbosiero said.
North Carolina weather officials said their top measurement total was 31.33 inches in the tiny town of Busick. Mount Mitchell also got more than 2 feet of rainfall.
Before 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, “I said to our colleagues, you know, I never thought in my career that we would measure rainfall in feet,” Clark said. “And after Harvey, Florence, the more isolated events in eastern Kentucky, portions of South Dakota. We’re seeing events year in and year out where we are measuring rainfall in feet.”
Storms are getting wetter as the climate change s, said Corbosiero and Dello. A basic law of physics says the air holds nearly 4% more moisture for every degree Fahrenheit warmer (7% for every degree Celsius) and the world has warmed more than 2 degrees (1.2 degrees Celsius) since pre-industrial times.
Corbosiero said meteorologists are vigorously debating how much of Helene is due to worsening climate change and how much is random.
For Dello, the “fingerprints of climate change” were clear.
“We’ve seen tropical storm impacts in western North Carolina. But these storms are wetter and these storms are warmer. And there would have been a time when a tropical storm would have been heading toward North Carolina and would have caused some rain and some damage, but not apocalyptic destruction. ”
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
It’s a dinosaur that roamed Alberta’s badlands more than 70 million years ago, sporting a big, bumpy, bony head the size of a baby elephant.
On Wednesday, paleontologists near Grande Prairie pulled its 272-kilogram skull from the ground.
They call it “Big Sam.”
The adult Pachyrhinosaurus is the second plant-eating dinosaur to be unearthed from a dense bonebed belonging to a herd that died together on the edge of a valley that now sits 450 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
It didn’t die alone.
“We have hundreds of juvenile bones in the bonebed, so we know that there are many babies and some adults among all of the big adults,” Emily Bamforth, a paleontologist with the nearby Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, said in an interview on the way to the dig site.
She described the horned Pachyrhinosaurus as “the smaller, older cousin of the triceratops.”
“This species of dinosaur is endemic to the Grand Prairie area, so it’s found here and nowhere else in the world. They are … kind of about the size of an Indian elephant and a rhino,” she added.
The head alone, she said, is about the size of a baby elephant.
The discovery was a long time coming.
The bonebed was first discovered by a high school teacher out for a walk about 50 years ago. It took the teacher a decade to get anyone from southern Alberta to come to take a look.
“At the time, sort of in the ’70s and ’80s, paleontology in northern Alberta was virtually unknown,” said Bamforth.
When paleontogists eventually got to the site, Bamforth said, they learned “it’s actually one of the densest dinosaur bonebeds in North America.”
“It contains about 100 to 300 bones per square metre,” she said.
Paleontologists have been at the site sporadically ever since, combing through bones belonging to turtles, dinosaurs and lizards. Sixteen years ago, they discovered a large skull of an approximately 30-year-old Pachyrhinosaurus, which is now at the museum.
About a year ago, they found the second adult: Big Sam.
Bamforth said both dinosaurs are believed to have been the elders in the herd.
“Their distinguishing feature is that, instead of having a horn on their nose like a triceratops, they had this big, bony bump called a boss. And they have big, bony bumps over their eyes as well,” she said.
“It makes them look a little strange. It’s the one dinosaur that if you find it, it’s the only possible thing it can be.”
The genders of the two adults are unknown.
Bamforth said the extraction was difficult because Big Sam was intertwined in a cluster of about 300 other bones.
The skull was found upside down, “as if the animal was lying on its back,” but was well preserved, she said.
She said the excavation process involved putting plaster on the skull and wooden planks around if for stability. From there, it was lifted out — very carefully — with a crane, and was to be shipped on a trolley to the museum for study.
“I have extracted skulls in the past. This is probably the biggest one I’ve ever done though,” said Bamforth.
“It’s pretty exciting.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2024.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A rare Bronze-Era jar accidentally smashed by a 4-year-old visiting a museum was back on display Wednesday after restoration experts were able to carefully piece the artifact back together.
Last month, a family from northern Israel was visiting the museum when their youngest son tipped over the jar, which smashed into pieces.
Alex Geller, the boy’s father, said his son — the youngest of three — is exceptionally curious, and that the moment he heard the crash, “please let that not be my child” was the first thought that raced through his head.
The jar has been on display at the Hecht Museum in Haifa for 35 years. It was one of the only containers of its size and from that period still complete when it was discovered.
The Bronze Age jar is one of many artifacts exhibited out in the open, part of the Hecht Museum’s vision of letting visitors explore history without glass barriers, said Inbal Rivlin, the director of the museum, which is associated with Haifa University in northern Israel.
It was likely used to hold wine or oil, and dates back to between 2200 and 1500 B.C.
Rivlin and the museum decided to turn the moment, which captured international attention, into a teaching moment, inviting the Geller family back for a special visit and hands-on activity to illustrate the restoration process.
Rivlin added that the incident provided a welcome distraction from the ongoing war in Gaza. “Well, he’s just a kid. So I think that somehow it touches the heart of the people in Israel and around the world,“ said Rivlin.
Roee Shafir, a restoration expert at the museum, said the repairs would be fairly simple, as the pieces were from a single, complete jar. Archaeologists often face the more daunting task of sifting through piles of shards from multiple objects and trying to piece them together.
Experts used 3D technology, hi-resolution videos, and special glue to painstakingly reconstruct the large jar.
Less than two weeks after it broke, the jar went back on display at the museum. The gluing process left small hairline cracks, and a few pieces are missing, but the jar’s impressive size remains.
The only noticeable difference in the exhibit was a new sign reading “please don’t touch.”
