Get ready! T-Minus 7 days to the big sky show

I’ll be hitting the road shortly to travel to Texas for the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. Ironically weather prospects aren’t that great for Texas (and many other totality spots) but there are several life long “wish I could visit there” places that will make this a great road trip.

By now, you should have your safe solar eclipse viewing glasses or other safe viewing method chosen, your site and how you plan to proceed viewing the eclipse.

• Everything you need to know about April’s total solar eclipse
• T-minus one month to US solar eclipse — where to enjoy the spectacle in the DC area
• Where to buy solar eclipse glasses as fakes, counterfeits emerge
• VDOT: Make plans to rotate travel around solar eclipse

If your weather is unfavorable on eclipse day, tune in to watch NASA stream the eclipse live.

Here are some tips to photograph the eclipse with your smartphone and camera — while following safety protocols.

Last up is an app that can help you with the solar eclipse. More from the American Astronomical Society (AAS):

“The AAS (Sky & Telescope’s publisher), Big Kid Science, and the American Institute of Physics (AIP) have teamed up to produce version 4.0 of the Totality app, which is free for iOS and Android smartphones. Features include interactive maps and detailed eclipse circumstances for all total solar eclipses from 2024 to 2030, as well as useful information on eye safety and how and why eclipses occur. In addition, the app taps into your phone’s GPS not only to show what you can see at your current location but also to advise you on the nearest location where you can witness totality — and give you driving directions. It’s also ad-free for a seamless and enjoyable eclipse-exploring experience. You can learn more about Totality and other eclipse apps on Sky & Telescope’s website.”

Remember, your overall safety, including eye safety, is job one during the eclipse. Enjoy this grand spectacle of nature, if you are experiencing totality for the first time, the first question you will want to know when you have been in the moon’s shadow is, “WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE!”

I plan to be at sea in 2026 off the coast of Iceland and in the Mediterranean in 2027.

Follow Greg Redfern on Facebook, X and his daily blog to keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.

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