A Total Solar Eclipse Will Be Visible Above Ohio This Spring
By Sarah McCosham|Published January 08, 2024
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
The phrase “once in a lifetime” is used to describe all sorts of events and experiences, many of which are not, in fact, once in a lifetime. But the 2024 solar eclipse in Ohio? This event truly is befitting of such a superlative. Happening for the first time in more than 200 years, this year’s celestial event is not to be missed. Mark your calendars for Monday, April 8, 2024, and make plans to visit an Ohio State Park located in the path of the 2024 solar eclipse for this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
What were you doing in 1806? That's the last time a total solar eclipse was visible in Ohio...
...until this year. On Monday, April 8, 2024, people within a 124-mile-wide band in Ohio will experience a total solar eclipse. The path covers Ohio's Three C's, spanning from the southwest corner of Ohio, through Columbus, and all the way up to Akron and Cleveland.
So what, exactly, is a total solar eclipse? A bit of Mother Nature magic! A total solar eclipse happens when the moon appears the same size (or slightly larger) in the sky as the sun, with the former fully covering the disk of the latter. This fleeting "marriage" of sun and moon gives observers a view of the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona.
As with any celestial event, timing is everything; solar eclipse occurs when a new moon is positioned precisely between Earth and the sun and casts its shadow on Earth. This year, the total solar eclipse visits Ohio on April 8, 2024, beginning at 3:08 p.m., with the final exit of the Moon’s shadow happening at 3:19 p.m.
Not only is the eclipse's "ring of fire" a jaw-dropping celestial spectacle, but during that magical moment where the moon passes in front of the sun, a brief period of "daytime darkness" is experienced. In fact, when a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife sometimes wakes up, thinking that it’s nighttime, and non-nocturnal wildlife might think it’s time to head to sleep!
Some of the best places in Ohio to view the 2024 total solar eclipse include Maumee Bay State Park near Toledo, Alum Creek State Park outside Columbus, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park near Cleveland. And if you're looking for a Dark Sky Park in Ohio, Observatory Park is the headwaters for all sorts of stargazing, including safe daytime solar eclipse viewing in Ohio.
Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center, 1750 State Park Road #2, Oregon, OH 43616, USA
Please note that the Warren Rupp Observatory in Bellville, Ohio, will NOT be open to the public for the 2024 eclipse.
Finding a home base from which to view the 2024 total solar eclipse in Ohio is key. Ohio State Parks WILL fill with visitors for this once-in-a-lifetime event, so be sure and book your room at one of the park lodges or campgrounds located within the 124-mile band.
Of course, if you prefer to stay someplace with all the comforts of home, sites like VRBO or Booking.com let you search for cozy cabins or B&Bs all across the Buckeye State! This charming guesthouse is located right at the entrance of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, while those closer to Toledo can opt to make this modern farmhouse their home base for the 2024 solar eclipse.
Lodging secured, please remember that safety is the number one priority when viewing a total solar eclipse. With the exception of the very brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the sun unless you are using eye protection specifically for solar viewing -- homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses are not safe for looking at the sun.
Also, do not view any part of the bright sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the secured over the front of the instrument. Doing so without such a filter could cause immediate and severe eye injury.
The next time a total solar eclipse will be visible in Ohio is 2099, so be sure and catch this celestial event this year, because it promises to be, ahem, fire.
Observatory Park, 10610 Clay St, Montville, OH 44064, USA
Only 43 million people — 0.5% of the world’s population — live in what is known as the path of totality. We’re so lucky to live in Ohio, where we can experience the once-in-a-lifetime 2024 total solar eclipse! Learn more at Ohio.org.
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