On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse will be passing through North America, including parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada. In the U.S., the eclipse begins in Texas at 1:23 p.m. and ends in Maine at 4:40 p.m.
Unfortunately, Florida is not in its ‘path of totality’ — where the sun is totally blocked by the moon, which will range between 62-71 miles — but we will get a partial view of the eclipse with a magnitude (the extent of the sun being blocked by the moon) of approximately 64-82 percent, varying based on your location.
August 2017 was the last time this type of eclipse was seen in the U.S. Another solar eclipse is not predicted to pass through the U.S. until August 12, 2045. The good news is that the 2045 eclipse will be seen in totality by those of us in Florida; the bad news is that it happens over 21 years from now, so make sure to catch this year’s special celestial event, or prepare to travel.
In Southeast Hillsborough County, including Apollo Beach, Bloomingdale, Brandon, Riverview and Valrico, the partial eclipse will begin at about 1:43 p.m. and peak at 3 p.m. Throughout the rest of Florida, it can begin as early as 1:35 p.m. and peak at 2:54 p.m. Of course, for viewing an eclipse, safety is paramount, and that means wearing eclipse glasses.
According to NASA’s website, “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. Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. NASA does not approve any particular brand of solar viewers.”
For more on safety guidelines, visit https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/safety/. For suppliers of safe solar viewers and filters, visit https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters.
Solar Eclipse Celebration at MOSI
What’s more, with sun-safe telescopes, expert astronomers and hands-on activities, MOSI, Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, is hosting a Solar Eclipse Celebration as Tampa Bay witnesses the solar eclipse.
Educators at MOSI are ready to make sure you’re able to see the eclipse, be wowed by the science behind it and have a whole lot of fun at the same time. MOSI will host the Solar Eclipse Celebration in its outdoor Science Park on April 8 from 1:30-4 p.m. The event is included with MOSI admission.
Out-of-this-world activities include:
- Sun-safe solar telescopes in Science Park, giving guests an up-close look at the eclipse, guided by MOSI astronomers.
- Hands-on eclipse activities staffed by MOSI educators in the Primary Colors Amphitheatre.
- Eclipse viewing in Science Park, where guests can view the eclipse with glasses that can be purchased from MOSI for $5.
- Worldwide live streams of the eclipse from 1:30-4 p.m., with televisions showing the live eclipse view from across North America.
“A total solar eclipse is a rare astronomical event, and we don’t want the Tampa Bay community to miss it,” said John Graydon Smith, MOSI CEO. “So we’re rolling up our sleeves to create a fun event where you can safely witness the eclipse, learn about what makes it happen, and leave with a memory that’ll stick with you.”
Hillsborough County Public Schools Solar Eclipse Activities
Join Hillsborough County Public Schools on April 8 for one or more of our solar eclipse events at the schools listed below.
Rampello K-8 Downtown Partnership Magnet School
- Location: 802 E. Washington St. in Tampa.
- Time: 2 p.m.
Representatives from Tampa Bay Sun FC are planning to experience Monday’s eclipse with students at Rampello Downtown Partnership Magnet School. Capture students’ reactions at the school on April 8 between 2-3:30 p.m. (Plan to arrive by 2:30 p.m. to capture the peak of the eclipse.)
Brandon High School — P.E. field
- Location: 1101 Victoria St. in Brandon.
- Time: 2:45-3:45 p.m.
Brandon High School is hosting a viewing and photo opportunity with glasses and other solar safe and astrophotography equipment to enrich the event after school on Monday from 2:45-3:45 p.m. on their P.E. field.
Gaither High School
- Location: 16200 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa.
- Time: Classroom at 1 p.m., PE field at 1:47 p.m. until 3 p.m.
Gaither High School students will be creating models of the sun, Earth and moon and creating an eclipse in their classroom in their seventh period at 1 p.m. Then in their eighth period, they will all go outside to observe the actual eclipse until dismissal at 2:30 p.m. Students who can are invited to stay until 3 p.m.
Please check in at the front office of each school on arrival. RSVP for these events by contacting Debra Bellanti at debra.bellanti@hcps.net or texting 813-538-6015.
