Totality is two months away. Is Rochester ready for the rare astronomical phenomenon?
Rochester will be among the best places for viewing the Great North American Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024, as it will be in the path of totality − a narrow slice of geography with an optimal view of the moon perfectly in line with the Sun.
The event is expected to bring tens of thousands of skywatchers to the Flower City.
Officials estimate that the Rochester region could draw up to a half-million visitors over the span of about four days – packing hotels, congesting roadways, and swarming restaurants and other local businesses.
“It’s rare to have a total solar eclipse happen in your backyard,” said Dan Schneiderman, the eclipse partnerships coordinator for the Rochester Museum & Science Center.
When was the last solar eclipse in New York?
It’s been 98 years since Rochester was in the path of totality for a solar eclipse (in 1925) and it will be more than two decades (in 2045) before another total solar eclipse will be seen in the U.S., though not in New York. The next time the Rochester region will be within the path of totality is 2144.
That’s far enough out that for someone born on April 8, 2024 – their grandkids’ grandkids will be around for that total solar eclipse, he said.
In October, Rochester experienced a partial solar eclipse. But the day was cloudy and the change was virtually unseen locally.
What is a solar eclipse?
A total solar eclipse occurs when Earth, the moon, and the sun are in syzygy − alignment − during which the moon moves between the sun and Earth and blocks the solar light from reaching Earth.
During totality, it should get very dark and it is the only time you would be able to see the sun’s corona, as well as colorful lights in the chromosphere and solar prominences with your eyes because the moon will be blocking out the most extreme source of light. You should feel a temperature drop and animals may begin to act like it is nighttime.
This particular eclipse is also special in that the distance the moon and sun will be from Earth at that time will make the relative sizes of the two objects appear about the same. That means the moon will completely blot out the sun and not show the ring of fire other total eclipses have.
What time is the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse?
Starting at 2:07 p.m. on April 8 in Rochester, the moon will begin to appear to move in front of the sun. Totality begins at 3:20 p.m. and will last for 3 minutes and 38 seconds (plus or minus a few seconds depending on where you are standing.) By 4:33 p.m. the moon will have moved past the sun returning the light to normal.
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