Excitement is building in Sarasota and Charlotte Counties as anticipation mounts for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8. While we won’t be among the 32 million Americans directly in the path of totality, we’re poised to witness a celestial spectacle nonetheless.
Spanning from Texas to Maine, the path of totality encompasses the United States, ensuring that even those outside its direct trajectory will catch a glimpse of the lunar dance between Earth and our radiant sun. In Sarasota and Charlotte Counties approximately 57.9 percent of the sun will be obscured by the moon at the peak of the eclipse, as indicated by a NASA map searchable by ZIP code. If you do decide to take a peek BE SURE USE OFFICIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES to protect your eyes.
Here’s what to expect:
- Partial eclipse begins: 1:43 p.m.
- Maximum coverage: 2:59 p.m.
- Partial eclipse ends: 4:14 p.m.
The entire event will span approximately 2 hours and 31 minutes. Weather forecasts from NASA suggest favorable conditions, indicating a clear day with minimal cloud cover and no precipitation.
The total solar eclipse commences in Mexico before crossing into the United States through Texas, traversing states such as Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It briefly touches parts of Tennessee and Michigan before continuing its journey into Canada, passing through southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton, ultimately departing continental North America along the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada.