Total solar eclipse 2024:
A once-in-a-lifetime event!

Quebecers are in a great position to witness this extraordinary astronomical event

By Patricia Dumais

April 2, 2024

Well I hear you went up to Saratoga
And your horse naturally won
Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun

From You’re So Vain by Carly Simon

Fortunately, this year’s total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, occurs much closer to home. Most Quebecers just need to head out to the Eastern Townships to get some of the best views. Places close to or on the eclipse’s path of totality include Sutton, Magog and the Parc du Mont-Mégantic. Depending on your location, the eclipse will occur between 2:14 pm and 4:40 pm, reaching totality around 3:25 pm or 3:30 pm. The next total solar eclipse visible from Quebec won’t be until 2106!

The eclipse path through eastern Quebec. The centre line in light blue is the path of totality – Image: map by Xavier Jubier

What is a total solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses happen in the daytime when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, and the planet passes through its satellite’s shadow. During a total solar eclipse, the Sun is gradually covered by a dark circle as the Moon passes in front of it. The eclipse becomes total when the Moon aligns perfectly with the Sun. This phase can last up to seven minutes and 30 seconds, however, anything more than four minutes is very rare.

As brief as a solar eclipse can be, and despite the risk of it being obscured by clouds, some people travel across the world to witness this exceptional astronomical phenomenon!

Observe the eclipse with utmost care!

Never observe the partial phase of a solar eclipse without eye protection. Even when partially hidden, the Sun remains bright enough to permanently damage your eyes if you gaze at it for more than an instant.

Eclipse glasses are the recommended and safest way to protect your eyes from damage. Their specialized filtered lenses, which block 99.99% of the sun’s harmful radiation, are almost completely opaque, making it possible to look at the Sun for up to a few minutes at a time. Ordinary sunglasses aren’t suitable for viewing an eclipse, as they’re not nearly opaque enough to protect your eyes.

‘Never observe the partial phase of a solar eclipse without eye protection. Even when partially hidden, the Sun remains bright enough to permanently damage your eyes if you gaze at it for more than an instant.’

The most inexpensive way to safely observe the Sun is to do so indirectly through projection. Pinhole viewers are traditionally made from a shoebox. You need two surfaces – one will serve as a viewing screen while you make a tiny hole in the other. Following the laws of optics, the hole will act like a camera lens, projecting an image of the eclipsed Sun onto the opposite surface. A great activity to do with children!

If you own a telescope, you can install a special filter in front of the aperture to allow for safe solar observation. Consult your telescope’s instruction manual to see if this is possible. Be sure to get a quality filter designed for the exact model and approved by the manufacturer.

Organized activities

Many activities, both on-site and online, will occur during the eclipse. Visit eclipsequebec.ca to access a list of organizations that offer website activities related to the eclipse, and a map of places to view the eclipse.

Feature image: 1999 solar eclipse by Luc Viatour / Lucnix.be

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