Teacher's Guide to the 2023 & 2024 Solar Eclipses, PDF

On April 8, 2024, a total eclipse of the sun will occur in the United States. The eclipse will be visible along a line stretching from Texas to Maine. Millions of people live near the path of totality, the area where the total eclipse is visible. The rest of the country will see a deep partial eclipse.

This will be the first total solar eclipse visible in the United States since 2017. The April 2024 eclipse will be within a short driving distance of much of the United States, and may become one of the most-watched astronomical events in history!

Monday, April 8, 2024, will be a school day for much of the country. I want to encourage you to share the eclipse with your students. With a little background knowledge, the eclipse can be safely experienced.

This guide describes the eclipse, what will be visible, and how to safely observe it. It also highlights the path of totality, the small area along the earth's surface where totality will be visible. The path of totality is a zone, approximately 100 miles in diameter, that extends from Texas through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

During totality, the sun resembles a black hole in a dark sky and is surrounded by the ethereal corona, one of the rarest sites in nature. Totality can be seen without special glasses or equipment, and with this eclipse it lasts a bit over 4 minutes (the partial eclipses, before and after totality, are not safe to observe without special equipment). Many schools are located directly in the path of totality!

Another eclipse will take place on October 14, 2023. This event, an annular solar eclipse, will be visible on a line stretching from Oregon to Texas (Locations away from the center-line will see partial eclipses). An annular eclipses is not as spectacular as a true total eclipse, and it cannot be looked at at any time without special glasses or filters! Despite this, annular eclipses are fascinating events that teachers may want to share with their students. With an annular eclipse, the moon is too far from earth to completely cover the sun and the eclipse resembles a ring of fire. The Teacher's Guide provides information about the October 14, 2023 annular eclipse as well as the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse.

I witnessed the July 11, 1991 total eclipse from Mazatlan, Mexico and the August 21, 2017 total eclipse from Tennessee. I also observed the May 10, 1994 annular solar eclipse from West Lafayette, Indiana. A total eclipse of the sun is one of the most spectacular sights that nature provides. The April 8, 2024 total eclipse and October 14, 2023 annular eclipse in the United States will provide rare opportunities and teaching moments. Use this Teacher's Guide to learn about how to safely observe these eclipses and share them with your students!

This Guide the following sections:

Introduction

Where will the April 8, 2024, total eclipse be visible?

Where will the October 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse be visible?

How do I safely look at the sun?

What are some facts about the sun?

What do I watch for during the eclipse?

Why do eclipses occur?

Summary: Go see the eclipse!

Vocabulary List

Eclipse Quiz

Resources: Descriptions & links

-Eclipse internet sites

-Demos & simulations

-Filters & safe viewing

-Weather

-Telescopes & solar observing

-Astronomy clubs

-Webcasts

-General astronomy

-Interdisciplinary

Appendices: p. 28-32

Eclipse Quiz Handout

A Google Doc version of the Teacher's Guide is available here. (Note: An extra charge is needed to access the Google Doc.)