Will 2024's total eclipse be visible in Asheville? Former astronaut to visit WNC and more

Will Hofmann, Asheville Citizen Times
·4 min read

Looking to view 2024's total eclipse in Western North Carolina? It looks like there may be plenty of opportunities.

The moon will blot out the sun for cities across America on April 8, leaving several million in the dark between the hours of noon and 5 p.m.

While Western North Carolina will not be within the path of totality, as it was in 2017, the eclipse is expected to cover roughly 87% of the sun's disk in the Asheville area, according to Eclipse2024.org, a website dedicated to providing information from eclipse experts and eclipse chasers.

But there are still opportunities to view or learn about the solar-lunar collision in the area — including a celebration of the event with a retired NASA astronaut.

For Asheville, the maximum eclipse will occur around 3:09 p.m., but the area will experience a partial eclipse before and after that time.

A total solar eclipse will happen April 8, 2024.
A total solar eclipse will happen April 8, 2024.

What is a total solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, totally blocking out the face of the sun and setting a night-like light level for areas affected. Unlike October's annular solar eclipse, this time parts of the nation will temporarily not see the sun.

Only those in the path of totality will experience the full effects of the eclipse, which have been known to include changes in animal behaviors and near total darkness. However, nearly all of North America will experience a partial solar eclipse on April 8, according to the American Astronomical Society.

Don't forget your glasses

NASA reminds those looking to view the April eclipse of one thing: don't forget to protect yourself.

"Except during the 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 without specialized eye protection for solar viewing," NASA's eye safety suggestions for the 2024 eclipse read.

In October, Western North Carolina Professor Enrique Gomez talked to the Citizen Times about protective glasses — warning those who already have them to check if they are knock-offs.

"They have to be certified with an ISO rating of 12,312, which is an international safety standard for safe viewing," Gomez told the Citizen Times. "I saw, in 2017, lots of unscrupulous vendors that have essentially stolen the ISO logo and put them in their glasses, but it's not listed as being 12,312 ISO certified."

Girl Scouts bring retired astronaut to WNC

If you have a Girl Scout in your family, you could celebrate the event with a retired NASA astronaut.

In partnership with the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, or PARI, the Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont are bringing retired NASA astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger to Brevard to celebrate and learn about April's total solar eclipse. The event will include a question and answer session with the astronaut, along with activities in coordination with PARI.

The event runs from April 5-7 at Camp Pisgah and is only open to registered Girl Scouts grades K-12. Registration is required. The event does not occur on the day of the eclipse.

“We are thrilled to host Dottie and give girls across our state an opportunity to interact with an actual astronaut,” said Jennifer Wilcox, CEO of GSCP2P in a news release. "The partnership with PARI and the activities surrounding the weekend are going to give girls a chance to experience space science in a whole new way.”

The Milky Way with a meteor streak from the South Ridge at PARI, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
The Milky Way with a meteor streak from the South Ridge at PARI, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

PARI to host partial eclipse event

While not a meet-and-greet with an astronaut, PARI has a day-long event where eclipse watchers can pay to view and learn about the solar event from 11 a.m to 4:30 p.m. on April 8.

Tickets for the event start at $40 for children 12 and under, and $80 for adults. The day-long event includes an eclipse education session, lunch and a guided museum tour in the afternoon.

Cities in totality closest to Asheville?

If you are looking to view more than 87% of the eclipse, a drive or flight may be in order. Here is a list of the cities in each state that will see the total eclipse and how many miles you would have to drive from Asheville, according to Google Maps:

  • Dallas (957 miles)

  • Idabel, Oklahoma (848 miles)

  • Little Rock, Arkansas (642 miles)

  • Poplar Bluff, Missouri (537 miles)

  • Paducah, Kentucky (427 miles)

  • Carbondale, Illinois (494 miles)

  • Evansville, Indiana (443 miles)

  • Cleveland (545 miles)

  • Erie, Pennsylvania (598 miles)

  • Buffalo, New York (689 miles)

  • Burlington, Vermont (963 miles)

  • Lancaster, New Hampshire (1,042 miles)

  • Caribou, Maine (1,305 miles)

More: POLL: What's your favorite Girl Scouts cookie?

More: Make plans to celebrate Valentine's Day with these events, specials in Asheville area

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 2024 eclipse in Asheville? Astronaut to visit WNC; What to know