December 23, 2024

Don’t Miss Eclipses: NASA Releases New Map of Upcoming Solar Eclipses

People in the areas inside the ovals will see the annular eclipse or overall eclipse at that time.
Audiences in locations outside the courses will not experience an overall solar eclipse or annular eclipse, but they might still see a partial eclipse. Shaded bands (yellow for the annular eclipse and purple for the overall eclipse) also reveal where a partial eclipse can be seen. In October 2023, southeastern Alaska will experience a partial eclipse, while Hawaii will have a possibility to see a partial eclipse in April 2024.
Shaded bands (yellow for the annular eclipse and purple for the overall eclipse) likewise show where a partial eclipse can be seen.

Using observations from various NASA objectives, this map shows where the Moons shadow will cross the U.S. during the 2023 annular solar eclipse and 2024 overall solar eclipse. The map was developed by NASAs Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) in partnership with the NASA Heliophysics Activation Team (NASA HEAT), part of NASAs Science Activation portfolio. Credit: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
These dark courses throughout the continent show where observers will need to be to see the “ring of fire” when the Moon blocks all however the outer edge of the Sun throughout the annular eclipse, and the ghostly-white outer atmosphere of the Sun (the corona) when the Moon completely obstructs the Suns disk during the total eclipse.
Outside those paths, the map also shows where and how much the Sun will be partially eclipsed by the Moon. On both dates, all 48 adjoining states in the U.S. will experience a minimum of a partial solar eclipse (as will Mexico and many of Canada).
Checking out the Map
On NASAs new eclipse map, the courses for the annular eclipse and total eclipse look like dark bands across the U.S.
Anyone situated in the annular eclipse path, from Oregon to Texas, will have a chance to see the annular eclipse if the skies are clear. Anybody located in the overall eclipse path, from Texas to Maine, will have an opportunity to see the overall eclipse, weather allowing.
A location of Texas near San Antonio, where the two eclipse courses cross, will experience both the annular eclipse in 2023 and the overall eclipse in 2024. Credit: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse computations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight
Inside those dark paths are oval shapes with times inside them (yellow ovals for the annular eclipse, purple ovals for the total eclipse). Those ovals show the shape of the Moons shadow cast in the worlds surface at the times revealed. People in the areas inside the ovals will see the annular eclipse or total eclipse at that time.
The Moons shadow will move quickly throughout both eclipses. On the map, ovals within the eclipse paths reveal the place and shape of the shadow at various times.
For areas close to the center of the paths, the annular eclipse or total eclipse will last longer than those near the external edges of the path. For the annular eclipse path, you can find labels (ranging from 3 to 4.5 minutes) near the Nevada-Utah border in the north and between San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas, in the south.
The closer to the center of the eclipse path, the longer each eclipse will last. On the map, each eclipse path includes white lines that show the length of time that eclipse will last at various areas. For example, the annular stage of the eclipse will last about 4 minutes near Elko, Nevada, and about four and a half minutes near Richfield, Utah. Credit: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Viewers in places outside the paths will not experience an overall solar eclipse or annular eclipse, however they might still see a partial eclipse. Lines running parallel to each course show how much of the Sun will become covered by the Moon during the partial eclipse. For the annular eclipse, these lines appear faint yellow.
Beyond the eclipse courses, yellow and purple lines on the map show the portion of the Sun that will end up being covered by the Moon at different locations for the total and annular eclipses, respectively. The purple line that passes near New York City and Providence, Rhode Island, indicates that the Sun will end up being about 90 percent obscured in those cities throughout the peak of the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Credit: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight.
Neither eclipse will be consisted of to the adjoining U.S.. Shaded bands (yellow for the annular eclipse and purple for the total eclipse) also reveal where a partial eclipse can be seen. In October 2023, southeastern Alaska will experience a partial eclipse, while Hawaii will have a chance to see a partial eclipse in April 2024.
Making the Map.
Michala Garrison, a member of the Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, used her background in geography and cartography to develop the map, integrating info from a range of NASA sources.
Earth elevation information came from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, while maps of the Moons shape were supplied by Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth were found utilizing software and information from NASAs Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility. Garrisons SVS associate, Ernie Wright, used all of this info to determine the place and shape of the Moons shadow.
The NASA map includes a globe revealing the full courses of the 2023 annular eclipse (in yellow and black) and the 2024 overall eclipse (in purple and black). Shaded bands (yellow for the annular eclipse and purple for the total eclipse) also reveal where a partial eclipse can be seen. Credit: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse computations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
NASAs Blue Marble– a worldwide mosaic of satellite images put together by the NASA Earth Observatory team– supplied color for the land. And one especially special feature Garrison believed to include along the course of the 2024 overall eclipse was nighttime images of Earth from NASAs Black Marble– which reveals city lights on the night side of the world as imaged by the Suomi NPP spacecraft.
One of Garrisons objectives for the map was to motivate people to get to the courses of the total and annular eclipses, which she didnt do the last time the Moons shadow crossed the continental U.S.
Two solar eclipses will cross the United States in 2023 and 2024. On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will produce a “ring of fire” in the sky from Oregon to Texas. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will darken the skies from Texas to Maine.
” In 2017, I remained in Maryland, so I still got to see a bit, due to the fact that I remained in a partial eclipse,” she stated. “But I didnt actually understand any of this at that time. This does make me want to go to, say, Albuquerque in 2023. And after that in 2024 to go more south.”.
Fort worked through numerous revisions to attempt to make the map both visual and useful, to assist individuals both inside and outside the courses to prepare their eclipse experience.
” It took a great deal of experimentation. I desired it to be beneficial to the reader however not overwhelming– and still be a beautiful product to take a look at to catch individualss eye.”.

The appearance of the Moon during the November 2022 overall lunar eclipse. NASA has released a brand-new map that details the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses in the United States. Credit: NASAs Scientific Visualization Studio
Where will you be for the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses in the United States?
NASA has released a new map that could assist you choose.
Based on observations from a number of NASA missions, the map information the course of the Moons shadow as it crosses the contiguous U.S. during the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023, and overall solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.