Only days away from the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Get ready! The Total Solar Eclipse is less than 2 weeks away.

On April 8, 2024, the moon will temporarily block all sunlight on a swath of Earth through parts of the United States. While Nashville won’t be in the “path of totality,” it will be in the 90% sector of the path.

Areas in the path of totality will see the sky darken briefly as if it were dawn or dusk. This can make the temperature drop quickly in just a matter of minutes.

The path of the eclipse brings it into the United States through Texas, and out of the U.S. through Maine. Many major cities are in the path of totality. Nashville and Memphis will only see a partial solar eclipse.

Around 2:00 p.m., you’ll be able to witness 95% of the eclipse, but experts say it doesn’t compare to being in the path of totality. While we will experience a little darkness, if you want to see the eclipse in all its glory, you’ll have to make a day trip to visit some of the areas a few hours away from Middle Tennessee — like Kentucky or Indiana.

Kelly Korreck, the NASA Program Manager for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, says this will be the most populated eclipse in the U.S., with nearly 32 million people just able to walk out of their homes and experience the eclipse.

According to NASA, most places along the path of totality will see a duration between 3.5 and 4 minutes. The longest duration of totality will be 4 minutes, 28 seconds, near Mexico.

The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. won’t come until 2044 and will only be visible from Greenland to South Dakota. The last total solar eclipse was in 2017. No two eclipses take the same path.

Copyright 2024 WSMV. All rights reserved.