America's Darker Side - The April Eclipse!

Great Lakes USA will be one of the best places to see next month’s total solar eclipse, offering an unforgettable experience to those able to witness this natural wonder.

Millions of North American sky gazers will see their day turned to night around April 8th as the eclipse does its stuff!

And, the "path of totality," the narrow strip where the eclipse will be visible in its entirety, will sweep across several areas in the Great Lakes region. It should be partially visible in 50 states and entirely visible in 13 from Texas to Maine.

Duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, almost double that of The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017. The 2017 total solar eclipse was witnessed by about 20 million people from Oregon to South Carolina, and the upcoming 2024 Great American Eclipse is sure to be witnessed by many millions more.

The Great Lakes, with their vast expanses of water and picturesque landscapes, offer an ideal backdrop for experiencing the total solar eclipse.

Whether you're an avid astronomer, a casual sky watcher, or someone simply seeking a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the following locations will be within the path of totality:

Cleveland, Ohio
At 3:13 pm, Cleveland will be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse for nearly four minutes – one of the longest durations of any major city in the path of totality.

There will be unobstructed views of the eclipse over Lake Erie that can be enjoyed from acres of gorgeous green spaces, with special child-friendly science programming around Downtown Cleveland and beyond.

Illinois
Carbondale, in Southern Illinois, is on the centre-line of the path of totality and will see 4 minutes and 9 seconds of totality for eclipse 2024 (nearly double what was seen in 2017).

SIU Carbondale in partnership with NASA is hosting a variety of events and activities April 5 – 8, 2024 including ongoing lead up events celebrating the second total solar eclipse visible from Carbondale in 7 years.

Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is the only major city in Pennsylvania in the path of totality and has the privilege of nearly four minutes of complete darkness, with totality beginning at 3.16pm.

Places to see the eclipse include the historic grounds of the Erie Land Lighthouse and a cruise on the Victorian Princess boat.

Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is directly in the path of totality of the 2024 total solar eclipse and will experience 3 minutes and 38 seconds of complete totality– that's 1 minute longer than the 2017 eclipse.

One of the most beautiful places to view the eclipse is Niagara Falls State Park, which will offer unobstructed views of this monumental event.

The Great Lakes USA is the largest expanse of freshwater in the world with a unique and diverse landscape. This region, which is the size of continental Europe, includes the U.S. states of Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. www.greatlakes.co.uk