A solar eclipse about to reach the totality phase

Part 2: How to Watch the Great North American Total Solar Eclipse 2024

Wondering where, when, and how to watch the solar eclipse? You’ve come to the right place! In our intro to the solar eclipse 2024, we provided the basics you need to know. Now, we’re going to dive a bit deeper and help you plan an unforgettable experience, whether you’re spectating from your backyard, planning a cross-country adventure, or hosting a viewing event.

Follow these six tips to make the most out of the Great North American Total Solar Eclipse!

1. Make Your Plans Early

Because this is such a monumental celestial event, there are going to be a whole lot of people planning to see it. The Great North American Total Solar Eclipse 2024 happens on April 8, but you should have your viewing equipment in hand and your plans solidified long before the big day.

After the upcoming total solar eclipse, the next total solar eclipse that will be visible from the contiguous U.S. won’t be until August 23, 2044 — more than 20 years later! For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so don’t wait until the last minute. Now is the time to start making travel arrangements (if you plan to travel) and ordering your solar-viewing products.

2. Choose a Viewing Location

A United States map and a compass

In part 1 of our Great North American Total Solar Eclipse 2024 viewing guide, we covered the American states where the path of totality will pass through. Now, let’s look into how to watch the solar eclipse in some of those states’ best viewing locations.

Total Solar Eclipse 2024: Central Daylight Time (CDT)

Dallas, Texas

Begins: 12:23 p.m.

Ends: 3:02 p.m. 

Idabel, Oklahoma

Begins: 12:28 p.m. 

Ends: 3:06 p.m. 

Little Rock, Arkansas

Begins: 12:33 p.m.

Ends: 3:11 p.m. 

Poplar Bluff, Missouri

Begins: 12:39 p.m. 

Ends: 3:15 p.m. 

Paducah, Kentucky

Begins: 12:42 p.m. 

Ends: 3:18 p.m. 

Evansville, Indiana

Begins: 12:45 p.m. 

Ends: 3:20 p.m.

Total Solar Eclipse 2024: Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Cleveland, Ohio

Begins: 1:59 p.m. 

Ends: 3:20 p.m. 

Erie, Pennsylvania

Begins: 2:02 p.m. 

Ends: 4:30 p.m. 

Buffalo, New York

Begins: 2:04 p.m. 

Ends: 4:32 p.m. 

Burlington, Vermont

Begins: 2:14 p.m. 

Ends: 4:37 p.m. 

Lancaster, New Hampshire

Begins: 2:16 p.m. 

Ends: 4:38 p.m. 

Caribou, Maine

Begins: 2:22 p.m. 

Ends: 4:40 p.m.

3. Know When to Wear Your Eclipse Shades®

Safety is the highest priority when viewing any solar event. You must wear your eclipse glasses throughout the entire duration of the partial phases of total solar eclipse 2024.

There is only one exception, during totality, when the sun is completely blocked by the moon. At that point, you can remove your glasses and view Totality with the naked eyes. As soon as the totality phase ends, you must put your viewing glasses back on for the remainder of the event.

4. Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

Total solar eclipses are multisensory experiences! During the full totality phase, everything gets dark, but that’s not all. Feel the temperature — it can drop by as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit! Bring a thermometer to track the change in real time.

Listen to the ambient sounds of nature while you watch the total solar eclipse 2024. Animals like birds that are usually silent at night may abruptly stop singing. Animals like crickets that are active at night may start chirping. Pay attention to the fascinating auditory shifts that occur. This is a rare and wonderful opportunity to really witness first-hand how much of an impact the sun has on the planet and its inhabitants.

5. Customize Glasses for Your Viewing Party

Wondering how to watch the solar eclipse in style? Celebrate this extraordinary occasion with custom eclipse glasses, eclipse viewers, or eclipse greets novelty postcards designed with your preferred colors, images, shapes, and any other branding you can dream up!

6. Order Your Eclipse Shades® Today

The total solar eclipse 2024 is right around the corner, so order your solar eclipse glasses before they start flying off the shelves. Check out our Commemorative Eclipse Glasses — they’re available in two fun styles: design 1 and design 2.

Our eclipse glasses are trusted by NASA and AAS, and certified to meet ISO standard 12312-2:2015. They’re also "CE" Certified, meeting standards for transmission for scale 12-16 of EN 169/1992 for safe solar viewing. All Rainbow Symphony’s eclipse glasses meet the 2012 Transmission Requirements of EN 1836:2005 and AS/NZS 1338.1:1992 for eclipse filters (Queensland Directive). And our specialty lenses have scratch-resistant materials with grade-five optical density, guaranteeing protection from solar radiation. “Black Polymer” blocks out 100% of ultraviolet light, infrared light, and 99.999% of intense visible light, and the filters on the lenses produce orange-colored imagery of the sun, with sharper detail and imagery.

Contact Us for More Information

We hope this guide on how to watch the solar eclipse is helpful as you prepare for this momentous occasion. Check our blog for more eclipse information, and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. Enjoy safe solar viewing with ISO- and CE-certified eclipse glasses, available at Rainbow Symphony now!

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