Skip to main content

If the weather co-operates, Canadians from Ontario to Atlantic Canada will get a clear view of a cosmic event – but they’ll need the right equipment to avoid the risk of eye damage

The track of April’s total eclipse of the sun includes some of the most populated regions of the country.

Factors such as weather and traffic will be in play for those aiming to see the event. If you live outside the path of totality, the key question will be where to go to see it best. Whatever the answer, expect traffic. Based on what happened in the United States during a total eclipse in 2017, roads that lead into the path of totality will be jammed before and after the event – potentially for many hours. A better strategy may be to get there a day early and be in place for eclipse day.

Here are the details you need to make the most of the event.

Moonshadows: The celestial geometry

behind a total solar eclipse

Sun

Moon

Moon’s

orbit

Partial eclipse

(penumbra)

Total eclipse

(umbra)

Earth

Earth’s

orbit

Partial eclipse

Total eclipse

Corona

*Diagram is not to scale.

Moonshadows: The celestial geometry

behind a total solar eclipse

Sun

Moon

Moon’s

orbit

Partial eclipse

(penumbra)

Total eclipse

(umbra)

Earth

Earth’s

orbit

Partial eclipse

Total eclipse

Corona

*Diagram is not to scale.

Moonshadows: The celestial geometry behind a total solar eclipse

Total eclipse

Earth’s

orbit

Moon’s

orbit

Total eclipse

(umbra)

Corona

Sun

Moon

Earth

Partial eclipse

Partial eclipse

(penumbra)

*Diagram is not to scale.

A cone of darkness

The total eclipse will be seen wherever the darkest part of the moon’s shadow – known as the umbra – makes contact with Earth’s surface.

The umbra is a long narrow cone that moves west to east, its precise path and speed dictated by the moon’s motion and the curvature and rotation of the planet. For this eclipse, the path is approximately 200 kilometres wide and the total eclipse will last longest for those who are nearest to the centreline.

The path has a long journey before it reaches Canada. The total eclipse begins at dawn in the south Pacific and it does not reach the mainland until just after 11 a.m. local time at Mazatlan, on Mexico’s west coast. Soon after, the eclipse hits its maximum duration of four minutes 28 seconds as the shadow passes near the city of Torreón.

From there, it heads to the U.S. border, crossing into Texas and then carving a swath up the Midwest to Ohio.

Total eclipse times and durations for

selected Canadian locations

(local times, p.m.)

ONT.

North

100 km

Toronto

Durations

30 seconds

U.S.

Hamilton

1 minute

Windsor

2 minutes

Niagara

Falls

3 minutes

Leamington

3:20

Central line

3:18

3:16

3:14 p.m.

(EDT)

Ottawa

Cornwall

Kingston

3:26

3:24

3:22 p.m.

(EDT)

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Ontario

Leamington

1:58:39

3:13:43

2m 2s

4:28:04

Hamilton

2:03:56

3:18:12

1m 53s

4:31:12

Niagara Falls

2:04:53

3:18:20

3m 30s

4:32:00

Fort Erie

2:04:47

3:18:12

3m 44s

4:32:02

Kingston

2:09:32

3:22:16

3m 2s

4:34:28

Cornwall

2:12:35

3:25:01

2m 11s

4:35:58

North

Quebec

100 km

QUE.

Montreal

Lac-Mégantic

3:32

3:30

3:28 p.m.

(EDT)

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Quebec

Montreal 

2:14:29

3:26:55

1m 17s

4:36:52

Drummondville

2:16:07

3:28:32

35s

4:37:40

Sherbrooke

2:16:37

3:27:43

3m 25s

4:38:16

Lac-Mégantic

2:18:01

3:28:47

3m 27s

4:38:58

North

100 km

N.B.

Grand Falls

Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine

4:34 p.m.

(ADT)

4:36

4:40

Tignish

Fredericton

PEI

Moncton

Charlottetown

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

New Brunswick

Grand Falls

3:22:45

4:33:06

1m 27s

5:40:49

Hartland

3:22:43

4:32:24

3m 21s

5:43:13

Fredericton

3:23:43

4:33:50

2m 16s

5:41:55

Miramichi

3:25:27

4:34:24

3m 09s

5:42:15

Prince Edward Island

Tignish

3:27:12

4:35:45

3m 11s

5:43:10

Summerside

3:27:23

4:37:08

1m 04s

5:43:32

North

100 km

N.L.

Gander

5:14 p.m.

(NDT)

Bonavista

5:18

Clarenville

Channel-Port

Aux Basques

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Newfoundland and Labrador

Channel-Port

4:02:52

5:09:59

2m 45s

6:15:26

Aux Basques

Gander

4:07:27

5:12:50

2m 13s

6:16:29

Clarenville

4:08:11

5:13:38

2m 31s

6:17:11

Bonavista

4:08:52

5:13:43

2m 53s

6:17:07

MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE:

NASA; OPENSTREETMAP; FRED ESPENAK,

RASC OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK

Total eclipse times and durations for

selected Canadian locations

(local times, p.m.)

ONT.

North

100 km

Toronto

Durations

30 seconds

U.S.

Hamilton

1 minute

Windsor

2 minutes

Niagara

Falls

3 minutes

Leamington

3:20

Central line

3:18

3:16

3:14 p.m.

(EDT)

Ottawa

Cornwall

Kingston

3:26

3:24

3:22 p.m.

(EDT)

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Ontario

Leamington

1:58:39

3:13:43

2m 2s

4:28:04

Hamilton

2:03:56

3:18:12

1m 53s

4:31:12

Niagara Falls

2:04:53

3:18:20

3m 30s

4:32:00

Fort Erie

2:04:47

3:18:12

3m 44s

4:32:02

Kingston

2:09:32

3:22:16

3m 2s

4:34:28

Cornwall

2:12:35

3:25:01

2m 11s

4:35:58

North

Quebec

100 km

QUE.

Montreal

Lac-Mégantic

3:32

3:30

3:28 p.m.

(EDT)

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Quebec

Montreal 

2:14:29

3:26:55

1m 17s

4:36:52

Drummondville

2:16:07

3:28:32

35s

4:37:40

Sherbrooke

2:16:37

3:27:43

3m 25s

4:38:16

Lac-Mégantic

2:18:01

3:28:47

3m 27s

4:38:58

North

100 km

N.B.

Grand Falls

Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine

4:34 p.m.

(ADT)

4:36

4:40

Tignish

Fredericton

PEI

Moncton

Charlottetown

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

New Brunswick

Grand Falls

3:22:45

4:33:06

1m 27s

5:40:49

Hartland

3:22:43

4:32:24

3m 21s

5:43:13

Fredericton

3:23:43

4:33:50

2m 16s

5:41:55

Miramichi

3:25:27

4:34:24

3m 09s

5:42:15

Prince Edward Island

Tignish

3:27:12

4:35:45

3m 11s

5:43:10

Summerside

3:27:23

4:37:08

1m 04s

5:43:32

North

100 km

N.L.

Gander

5:14 p.m.

(NDT)

Bonavista

5:18

Clarenville

Channel-Port

Aux Basques

PARTIAL

TOTAL

DURATION

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Newfoundland and Labrador

Channel-Port

4:02:52

5:09:59

2m 45s

6:15:26

Aux Basques

Gander

4:07:27

5:12:50

2m 13s

6:16:29

Clarenville

4:08:11

5:13:38

2m 31s

6:17:11

Bonavista

4:08:52

5:13:43

2m 53s

6:17:07

MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE:

NASA; OPENSTREETMAP; FRED ESPENAK,

RASC OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK

Total eclipse times and durations for selected Canadian locations

(local times, p.m.)

North

50 km

CANADA

Ottawa

ONT.

Cornwall

Toronto

Durations

30 seconds

U.S.

Kingston

1 minute

Hamilton

Windsor

2 minutes

3 minutes

3:26

Niagara Falls

Leamington

3:24

3:22

3:20

Central line

3:18

3:16

3:14 p.m.

(EDT)

PARTIAL

TOTAL

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

DURATION OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Ontario

Leamington

1:58:39

3:13:43

2m 2s

4:28:04

Hamilton

2:03:56

3:18:12

1m 53s

4:31:12

Niagara Falls

2:04:53

3:18:20

3m 30s

4:32:00

Fort Erie

2:04:47

3:18:12

3m 44s

4:32:02

Kingston

2:09:32

3:22:16

3m 2s

4:34:28

Cornwall

2:12:35

3:25:01

2m 11s

4:35:58

North

Quebec

50 km

QUE.

N.B.

Montreal

Grand

Falls

Drummondville

Lac-Mégantic

Sherbrooke

3:32

4:34 p.m.

(AST)

3:30

4:36

3:28 p.m.

(EDT)

Tignish

Fredericton

PEI

Moncton

Charlottetown

PARTIAL

TOTAL

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

DURATION OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Quebec

Montreal 

2:14:29

3:26:55

1m 17s

4:36:52

Drummondville

2:16:07

3:28:32

35s

4:37:40

Sherbrooke

2:16:37

3:27:43

3m 25s

4:38:16

Lac-Mégantic

2:18:01

3:28:47

3m 27s

4:38:58

New Brunswick

Grand Falls

3:22:45

4:33:06

1m 27s

5:40:49

Hartland

3:22:43

4:32:24

3m 21s

5:43:13

Fredericton

3:23:43

4:33:50

2m 16s

5:41:55

Miramichi

3:25:27

4:34:24

3m 09s

5:42:15

Prince Edward Island

Tignish

3:27:12

4:35:45

3m 11s

5:43:10

Summerside

3:27:23

4:37:08

1m 04s

5:43:32

North

50 km

Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine

4:40 p.m.

(ADT)

4:42

N.L.

Gander

5:14 p.m.

(NDT)

Channel-Port

aux Basques

5:18

Charlottetown

Bonavista

Clarenville

N.S.

PARTIAL

TOTAL

PARTIAL

ECLIPSE

ECLIPSE

DURATION OF

ECLIPSE

BEGINS

BEGINS

TOTALITY

ENDS

Newfoundland and Labrador

Channel-Port Aux Basques

4:02:52

5:09:59

2m 45s

6:15:26

Gander

4:07:27

5:12:50

2m 13s

6:16:29

Clarenville

4:08:11

5:13:38

2m 31s

6:17:11

Bonavista

4:08:52

5:13:43

2m 53s

6:17:07

MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: NASA; OPENSTREETMAP; FRED ESPENAK, RASC OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK

The Canadian track

The umbra first touches Canada at the country’s southernmost point on Pelee Island. Here the total eclipse begins just before 3:15 p.m. local time. At this point the centreline of the path is hugging the south shore of Lake Erie, so Canadian locations on the north shore will see a total eclipse for about two minutes. This improves as the path slants north and eastward. The eastern third of Canada’s Erie shore and much of the Niagara Peninsula will get over three minutes at around 3:18 p.m.

The umbra then crosses Lake Ontario and reaches land again east of Toronto where Belleville, Kingston and Cornwall all lie within the path of totality. Downtown Montreal is also just inside, making it the largest Canadian city where residents will have a chance to see the total eclipse – though only for about one minute. The eclipse lasts longer for those who are south and east of Montreal. It’s there that the centreline of the eclipse finally enters Canada and skirts past Sherbrooke.

After cutting across Maine, the shadow re-enters Canada in New Brunswick, with totality beginning about 4:34 p.m. Atlantic time for Fredericton. Minutes later the eclipse darkens the western third of Prince Edward Island and the northernmost tip of Cape Breton Island before the Canadian journey concludes with a sprint across Newfoundland, from Channel Port Aux Basques to Bonavista, narrowly missing St. John’s. By then the sun will have sunk quite low in the west and the late-afternoon total eclipse will last just under three minutes on the centreline.

What about the weather?

“Nobody’s got a free ticket on this eclipse,” said eclipse weather guru Jay Anderson. That means even in the most favourable locations, there is some chance that the event will be clouded out. In general, the risk of clouds grows considerably once the shadow leaves the southern United States. It improves a bit around the Great Lakes then worsens into Quebec where the average cloud cover is greater than 70 per cent in early spring. New Brunswick and Newfoundland face the same odds, while prospects are slightly better for PEI.

But these are only statistical measures not predictions. Anyone hoping for clear skies should start checking forecasts about three days ahead of the eclipse and be prepared to shift plans if it means dodging unfavourable weather.

Eclipse weather prospects

Average frequency of April cloud cover along the central line of the 2024 total eclipse

Pacific Ocean

Mexico

U.S.

Canada

Atlantic Ocean

90%

Path of total

eclipse partly

in Ontario

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

90%

Que.

Maine

N.B.

Que. and

Gulf of Saint

Lawrence

N.L.

Gander

Miramichi

80

Îles de la

Madeleine

Stephenville

Sherbrooke

70

Tignish

60

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE:

NASA; JAY ANDERSON

Eclipse weather prospects

Average frequency of April cloud cover along the central line of the 2024 total eclipse

Pacific

Ocean

Mexico

U.S.

Canada

Atlantic

Ocean

90%

Path of total

eclipse partly

in Ontario

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

90%

Que.

Maine

N.B.

Que. and

Gulf of Saint

Lawrence

N.L.

Gander

Miramichi

80

Îles de la

Madeleine

Stephenville

Sherbrooke

70

Tignish

60

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: NASA; JAY ANDERSON

Eclipse weather prospects

Average frequency of April cloud cover along the central line of the 2024 total eclipse

Pacific Ocean

Mexico

U.S.

Canada

Atlantic Ocean

90%

Path of total

eclipse partly

in Ontario

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

90%

Que.

Maine

N.B.

Que. and

Gulf of Saint

Lawrence

N.L.

Gander

Miramichi

80

Îles de la

Madeleine

Stephenville

Sherbrooke

70

Tignish

60

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: NASA; JAY ANDERSON

Safety and equipment

It is never safe to look at the sun unprotected. This is true even when most of the sun’s surface is hidden, such as during a deep partial eclipse. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, do not provide sufficient protection from infrared solar rays that can cause permanent damage to the retina. To ensure safe viewing, the Canadian Association of Optometrists advises using solar eclipse glasses that meet the international standard ISO 12312-2. These should be ordered from a reputable supplier well before the event. The American Astronomical society has compiled a list of suppliers, including some that are based in Canada.

If you are using eclipse glasses, be sure they are not scratched or damaged. Do not use glasses with binoculars or telescopes, which require their own specialized solar filters.

Open this photo in gallery:

Scott Roberts, founder of Explore Scientific, demonstrates some of the eclipse glasses and large-aperture solar fixtures his store offers in Springdale, Ark. The store, and similar businesses in Canada, are on an American Astronomical Society list of reputable sellers of eclipse gear.Michael Woods/The Associated Press

Solar eclipse safety

Never observe the sun...

...directly

...through

binoculars, cameras,

smartphones

or telescopes

...through

coloured

plastic or

glass

....through

sunglasses

...in a reflective

surface like a

mirror, water

or chrome

...through a

film negative

DIY: Binocular projection

Set the focus knob of your binoculars to the middle range

Use binoculars to project two identical images of the sun onto a white surface about 30 cm away

To avoid overheating your binoculars don’t point them at the sun for more than a few minutes at a time

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Solar eclipse safety

Never observe the sun...

...directly

...through binoculars,

cameras, smartphones

or telescopes

...through

coloured

plastic or

glass

....through

sunglasses

...in a reflective

surface like a

mirror, water

or chrome

...through a

film negative

DIY: Binocular projection

Set the focus knob of your binoculars to the middle range

Use binoculars to project two identical images of the sun onto a white surface about 30 cm away

To avoid overheating your binoculars don’t point them at the sun for more than a few minutes

at a time

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Solar eclipse safety

Never observe the sun...

DIY: Binocular projection

...directly

...through binoculars,

cameras, smartphones

or telescopes

....through

sunglasses

...in a reflective surface

like a mirror, water

or chrome

Set the focus knob of your binoculars to the middle range

Use binoculars to project two identical images of the sun onto a white surface about 30 cm away

To avoid overheating your binoculars don’t point them at the sun for more than a few minutes at a time

...through coloured

plastic or glass

...through a

film negative

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

What do you want to know about the solar eclipse?

Globe science reporter Ivan Semeniuk is answering all your questions ahead of the April 8 solar eclipse. What is the path of totality? How can I watch it safely? How long will it last? Leave your questions below.

The information from this form will only be used for journalistic purposes, though not all responses will necessarily be published. The Globe and Mail may contact you if someone would like to interview you for a story.

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe

Trending