Depending on the weather, a narrow swath of Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec will see a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. It is only from within the moon’s shadow that observers can experience totality. Geographically speaking, Niagara Falls Ontario and Lac Megantic Quebec will be near or along the center line of the eclipse.
In Eastern Ontario, the shadow will just graze Green Valley (which is just south of Alexandria) at 3:25 PM. Observers there get to see the totally eclipsed sun for only a few seconds. Locations further south offer more time to view the sun’s atmosphere, the beautiful corona. Lancaster gets two minutes in the shadow. Cornwall 2m13s. Plattsburg, New York and Sherbrooke, Quebec see three and a half minutes of totality, because they are close to the center line of the path. So is the southern portion of Montreal, but totality there will only last one and a half minutes, starting at 3:27 PM.
The odds of clear skies in April are not exactly in our favour, and if you want to see the eclipse, you should be prepared to travel to the nearest area of clear sky on short notice. Check the latest satellite imagery at weather.gc.ca. That said, witnessing a cloudy day become a cloudy night for two minutes before brightening again is still worth experiencing. Observers should have a good solar filter (eclipse glasses) to safely view the partial phases of the eclipse (before and after totality). Get them soon because the demand increases as the date approaches. Do NOT look at the sun without the filter, UNLESS the moon completely covers it.
Official Eclipse Viewing Areas along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway Valley…
Prince Edward County: Enjoy a Solar Eclipse Party at Sandbanks Winery (limited number of tickets available for purchase), includes a pair of solar glasses and solar-themed snacks to enjoy while watching the eclipse. https://www.visitthecounty.com/pt_events/solar-eclipse-party-at-sandbanks-winery/
Kingston: Kingston is hosting a number of special eclipse events at numerous locations around the city, and there are nine official viewing areas (accessible by public transit)… The city has been promoting itself as a destination city – directly in the path of totality (where the moon fully obscures the sun). Hotel packages are available. They’ve set up a special webpage: https://www.visitkingston.ca/eclipse2024/
You can even purchase solar eclipse glasses and 2024 eclipse merch/swag in the form of ball caps and t-shirts! Observers in Kingston will experience approximately 3 minutes of totality, from 3:22–3:25 pm on April 8th.
Gananoque: The Town of Gananoque will fall into darkness for three minutes and 39 seconds. To mark this momentous occasion, the Town of Gananoque will host “Total Eclipse of the Park” at Joel Stone Park on April 8, with other community events happening throughout the weekend prior. https://www.gananoque.ca/explore-gananoque/total-eclipse-of-the-park
Brockville: Blockhouse Island Parkway is the official eclipse viewing area in Brockville. The site will be closed that day to vehicle traffic to make room for pedestrians to move about safely. The city is encouraging attendees to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets, and dress appropriately in layers as April at the waterfront can be quite cool. Eclipse totality for Brockville will last 2 minutes and 47 seconds: starting at 3:24 pm. https://brockville.com/things-to-do/eclipse/
Morrisburg: The St. Lawrence Parks Commission has estimated that between 8,000 to 10,000 eclipse viewers may visit the region along the St. Lawrence River. SLPC properties along the St. Lawrence River will fall on the path of totality, including Crysler’s Farm Battlefield Park (next to Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg). The battlefield memorial will be open for the day with paid parking, to help manage the number of vehicles looking to park and help cover the operational costs required to safely host a large number of visitors at our site during the off-season. The SLPC has acquired 10,000 approved solar viewing glasses for guests. Visitors are being encouraged to carpool or use buses to reach the site. https://www.morrisburgleader.ca/2024/02/29/here-comes-the-sun-slpc-plans-for-solar-eclipse-event/
Montreal: To celebrate the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse on Monday, April 8th, Espace pour la vie and the Parc Jean-Drapeau Society are hosting a massive viewing party on Ille Saint-Helene, complete with music, entertainment, and lots of activities designed to enlighten and engage. It’s shaping up to be the ultimate eclipse-viewing experience. To ensure everyone can safely enjoy the spectacle, over 150,000 free protective eclipse glasses will be handed out. It could be one of the best seats in the city to catch a rare celestial event! The full program has yet to be announced, but the eclipse celebration will go on rain or shine at Parc Jean-Drapeau, situated seven kilometres inside the path of totality. https://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/en/total-solar-eclipse-april-8-2024-parc-jean-drapeau-montreal/
Other related websites…
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