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Science

With eclipse 2017 complete, get ready for eclipse 2024

A solar eclipse will be viewable from North America on April 8, 2024. Here are some tips if you want to get ready now.

Keen skywatchers may want to start preparing for North America's next view of an eclipse

Skywatchers in North America have less than seven years to wait to see the next full solar eclipse on this continent. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)

Did you miss Monday's eclipse? Or did you enjoy it so much you're already counting down to the next one?

Either way, skywatchers in North America don't have nearly as long to wait this time around. Until this year, the last solar eclipse visible from much of the U.S. was in 1979.

North America gets its next glimpse of a full solar eclipseon April 8, 2024.

The 2024 eclipse won't be visible from as much of the continent as it was this year, where most of Canada and the U.S. could see at least the partial eclipse.

Here are a few tips to start preparing for 2024:

A map of Prince Edward Island showing the path of an eclipse that will happen on April 8, 2024

Know where to go

The 2024 eclipse takes an eastern route. The greatest eclipse will be overNazos, Mexico, at 2:17 p.m. ET.In the U.S, the eclipse will start in Texas and travel diagonally to the northeast. In Canada, the eclipse will pass over parts of Ontario andQuebec, where the total eclipse will startbetween 3:15 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET;New Brunswick andPrince Edward Island, where it will start around4:30 p.m. AT, and Newfoundland and Labrador, where it will start around 5 p.m. NT.

Check weather patterns

One of the bonuses of this year's eclipse was that in the middle of August the chance of getting a sunny day to view the eclipse was higher. In April, that might be more of a challenge.

This past April, the daytime high temperatures in New Brunswick ranged from approximately 1 C to 22 C and there was some snow or rain on 11 days, data from the Weather Network shows.

A little cloud cover won't completely ruin the view, as CBC's Nicole Mortillaro experienced in Missouri, but a clear day is ideal.

If you want a warmer day for the eclipse, heading south to Texas or Mexico may be a good idea.

Plan in advance

An eclipse trip isn't something to plan at the last minute.

Mortillaro recommends making travel arrangements booking flights, rental cars and accommodations between six and 12 months in advance because accommodations will fill quickly.

For 2017, there were numerous tours and cruises planned around the eclipse, something that's likely to happen again in 2024 and you'll definitely want to book in advance.

The eclipse in 9 seconds

7 years ago
Duration 0:10
Watch a time-lapse of Monday's eclipse from the centre of its path of totality St. Joseph, Missouri

Be prepared

This year's eclipse had so much hype that there were many reports of eclipse glasses getting sold out or having increased prices because of massive demand, so it's a good idea to source glasses, or other specialty equipment, months in advance. If you scooped up a pair this year,keep them in a safe place for 2024.