2024 Eclipse to Come Close to Memphis

On April 8, 2024, there will be a total eclipse of the sun in North America.  Most of the United States will experience a partial eclipse, meaning that the sun will be partially blocked by the moon.  This can be an interesting phenomenon, and especially if you have kids, you should make the most of it, because it can inspire lifelong excitement about science.  But a partial eclipse isn’t particularly awe inspiring.  You might notice that the sun doesn’t seem quite as bright as usual, but it’s quite possible that you wouldn’t notice.  You might notice that shadows look a little bit weird, but you probably couldn’t put your finger on exactly why.  In short, if nobody told you that there was an eclipse happening, you probably wouldn’t even notice.

But things are a lot different if you are in an area that is experiencing a total eclipse.  If you are in an area with a total eclipse, then you will absolutely notice.  It will get dark outside.  There will be a strange sunset phenomenon along the horizon in all directions.  You will be able to see stars in the sky in the middle of the day.  And when you look at the sun, it won’t be there.  Instead, you will see the sun’s corona, the cloud of gasses that surround the actual sun.  Unlike the partial eclipse, which is merely interesting, it becomes an experience that you will remember for the rest of your life.

For those in Memphis, the eclipse will be in the mildly interesting category, because Memphis will experience only a partial eclipse.  If you happen to be outside, you might notice that the sun’s rays are not quite as intense as they normally are.  But if you didn’t know better, you would probably pass it off as thin clouds.  Fortunately, Memphis is close enough to the total eclipse that you can easily drive there, and turn something modestly interesting into a day that you will always remember.  And if you have kids, taking them to see it could very well be the spark that encourages them to follow a career in science.

The path of totality for the April 8, 2024, eclipse is a path about 115 miles wide that extends from Texas to Maine.  If you are inside this path, then you will unmistakably experience totality, meaning that it will be dark enough to see the stars.  But if you are outside this path, even by just a couple of miles, then you probably won’t notice anything special.

The good news for Memphis residents is that you are very close to the path of totality, because the 115-mile-wide path will sweep through Arkansas.  (A tiny sliver of Tennessee, a small uninhabited area near New Madrid, MO, will also be in totality, but the vast majority of Tennessee will miss totality.)  Both Jonesboro and Little Rock are inside the path of totality.  You can easily drive there in the morning and find a spot to view the eclipse when it hits totality at 12:50 PM Central Time.  In fact, U.S. Highway 67 between the two cities follows the path of the eclipse, and you can easily follow it to find a spot to enjoy the spectacle.

At some point, you’ll probably hear in the media that Memphis is going to have a “97.4% eclipse.”  That language is very misleading.  It’s true that 97.4% of the sun will be covered up in Memphis.  But the remaining 2.6% is thousands of times brighter than the sun’s corona.  The human eye is amazing, and as the sun slowly dims, your eyes will adjust, and you won’t even notice.  It’s not until the very last rays of sun disappear that things suddenly go dark.  Think of it this way:  A few minutes before the eclipse becomes total, and a few minutes after, it will hit 97.4% for the folks in Arkansas.  After the sun comes back out (even before it gets back to 97.4%), the people will start packing up and getting ready to go home.  They’re packing up because the show is over, but that’s as good as the show will ever be for you!  If you stay home, you will have missed the show!

There will be a lot of traffic the day of the eclipse, so you will need to leave early.  For Memphis residents, the biggest bottleneck will probably be the bridges to Arkansas.  During the 2017 eclipse, traffic always got through, but it was much heavier than usual in many areas.  It’s also possible that stores, gas stations, and restaurants in the zone of totality will be overwhelmed.  For this reason, it would be a good idea to top off your gas tank before leaving and bring along a picnic lunch.

During the few minutes of totality, it is safe to look directly at the sun, because it is completely blocked, and you see only the outer corona.  But until the moment of totality, you need special eye protection to view the shrinking sun.  And if you stay in Memphis, you will need special eclipse glasses at all times.  In 2017, and during eclipses in other countries, these glasses always sold out and were simply unavailable.  Fortunately, they are readily available now, and very inexpensive.  Wherever you buy them, you want to make sure that they are from manufacturers approved by the American Astronomical Society.  This is also a case where it’s best to look for something made in the USA.  One good source is MyEclipseGlasses.com, which sells approved eclipse glasses made by American Paper Optics of Bartlett, TN.

If you want to make a long weekend of it (the eclipse is on a Monday), there are still reasonably priced hotel rooms in both Little Rock and Jonesboro, although if 2017 is a guide, they will be sold out soon.

The best source of information about the 2024 eclipse is the NASA website.  Many eclipse chasers fly around the world to see them.  For those in western Tennessee, you owe it to yourself—and to your kids—to take advantage of this easy opportunity to see an amazing astronomical phenomenon.