Coming in April 2024, the projected path of a Total Eclipse looks to be heading over Northern Ohio and Put in Bay. The date to be precise is April 8, 2024, with NASA projecting this will be the last visible total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2044. In short, if you want to see this and don’t want to wait 20 years until the next occurrence, keep reading to learn more and make plans to witness this in person.
The island is already one of great natural beauty and wonder. There are a great number of parks and nature preserves to protect and to use as ways to teach our youth about our planet. Pair this with this natural phenomenon of a Total Solar eclipse and a fun filled and educational experience awaits.
It will be akin to other major events in asking “Where were you for the eclipse?” If you would like that answer to be “Put in Bay,” read on for more information.
Imagine, you stop by Joe’s Bar for a cold one, swing by Mr. Ed’s and then on to the monument while being present for this natural phenomenon. Make this unique event something that you hold in your memory for years to come.
Plan Your Eclipse Visit To PIB With These Top Links!
- Check out our top Put-in-Bay hotels and lodging picks!
- Rent your Put-in-Bay Golf Carts
- Check out the Put-in-Bay Event Calendar
- See all the Things To Do In Put-in-Bay!
Put-in-Bay Businesses Open for the Total Eclipse
- Reel Bar
- The Forge
- Topsy Turveys
- Mr. Ed’s/ Cameo Pizza
- Boardwalk Lobster Bisque Truck
- Chamber’s Trailer – possible fundraiser
- PIB Winery
- Heineman’s Winery
- Joe’s Bar
- Subway
- Commodore Resort
- Bay Lodging Resort
- Harriet’s House
- Aunt Jane’s
- Island Club
- PIB Condos
- Jet Express – pending
- Miller Ferry
- E’s Carts
- Erie Carts
- PIB Carts
Put-in-Bay Total Eclipse 2024 Questions
What is a Total Eclipse?
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. The “path of totality” is the area where people viewing the eclipse see the Moon’s shadow completely cover the Sun. Hence, a total solar eclipse. Like dawn or dusk, the sky will darken as the Sun is covered by the Moon’s shadow. In optimal weather conditions, people who are on the path of totality may have a rare opportunity to view the Suns corona, or outer atmosphere. This is typically blocked from vision due to the bright face of the sun.
What are the safety concerns for a Total Eclipse?
During the time where the moon’s shadow blocks the sun, one should refrain from starting at it. However, with specialized eye protection, people can safely view the Total Eclipse. One could face extreme eye injury if looking at the Sun through a camera lens, binoculars and the like. It is advisable to use safe solar viewing glasses when viewing the partial phases of the eclipse. So, even outside of the specific “Path of Totality” times, protective eyewear is strongly encouraged. This eyewear can be purchased online and in years past has been available at local libraries. Regardless, if you plan to view the eclipse at any stage, be sure to protect your eyes.
When will the Total Eclipse occur?
The Total Eclipse is expected to pass across the United States on April 8, 2024. States from Texas to Maine are expected to be in the Path of Totality, with optimal viewing to be anticipated. The path is expected to enter the United States in Texas. Next, traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine There are several projections that show Cleveland, Ohio as being a preferred viewing city and with Put-in-Bay right across the lake, we too are expected to have a premium location for this event.
Will Put-in-Bay be included in the “Path of Totality?”
Currently, the projected path suggests that Put-in-Bay will be a great place to view the Total Solar Eclipse. Imagine, watching this from atop Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. This would certainly be both astounding and inspiring. Following the eclipse, the lack of light pollution on the island will provide a beautiful sky of stars, pending the weather.
Where to stay on island for Total Eclipse?
Our lodging partners have great options for you. What will work best depends on your group size and requested amenities. For groups, Island Club Rentals is a perfect option for both home and waterfront condo options. These properties offer guests a range of benefits. This includes a kitchen to prepare meals, private bedrooms and multiple bathrooms. It is a nice experience to be able to share a communal space while enjoying a Lake Erie island adventure. Put-in-Bay Hotel preferred options include the Commodore Resort and Victory Station Hotel. Both are conveniently located in downtown Put-in-Bay, a short walk from the Jet Express ferry boat terminal. Staying on island will give you the opportunity to both experience the Total Eclipse and enjoy the many things to do on Put in Bay.
Fun Facts about Eclipses
- The Babylonians were able to predict lunar eclipses with some degree of accuracy. However, the same was not for solar eclipses due to positional accuracy challenges. Thales from 610 B.C. was first credited for predicting a solar eclipse using the Saros cycle and knowledge of a previous eclipse.
- “Shadow bands” appear as a multitude of fast moving bands that can be seen by placing a white sheet of paper square on the ground. They look like ripples of sunshine at the bottom of a pool. Atmospheric turbulence is to blame for this phenomenon.
- In any given location on our Planet, a total eclipse occurs just once every 360 years.
- There is no strong proof that suggests that eclipses have any physical impact on humans. Still, for centuries, people have suggested solar eclipses as signs of impending doom. This has spawned persons to act in strange ways and alter their psychological state.
- A Total Eclipse can only happen with a New Moon.
- Almost identical eclipses occur after 18 years and 11 days, or every 6,585.32 days. This is also known as the Saros Cycle.
- The longest time for a total solar eclipse is approximately 7.5 minutes.
- Light filtering through leaves on trees casts crescent shadows as the totality nears.
- Local temperatures can plummet as much as 20 degrees during a Total Eclipse.
Other Questions about Total Eclipses
How does a Total Eclipse of the sun take place?
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves in front of the Sun, blocking it from our view on Earth. This happens because the Moon aligns perfectly to cover the Sun’s round shape. Interestingly, the Moon comes between the Sun and Earth every month during the “new Moon” phase.
However, most of the time, we don’t see an eclipse because the Moon’s path is a bit tilted compared to Earth’s path around the Sun. So, during most new moons, the Moon is either above or below the Sun, and we don’t experience an eclipse. But when everything lines up just right, the Moon covers the Sun, and that’s when we witness a solar eclipse.
Are Total Eclipses rare?
Contrary to what many people think, total solar eclipses are not that rare. Astronomers expect about sixty-eight of them to occur in the current century, which means roughly one every 17.6 months. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon casts a dark, thin shadow called the umbra onto the Earth’s surface (you can see this in the picture above).
The path where this shadow travels can be very long, spanning thousands of miles, but it’s also quite narrow, typically around 167 miles wide at most. Researchers have calculated that, on average, people in the same location on Earth get to see a total solar eclipse only once every 375 years.
Where have been some recent Total Eclipses been?
In the last few years, people who love chasing eclipses had to go to faraway places like Novosibirsk in Siberia (2008), Easter Island in Chile (2010), the Norwegian islands of Svalbard (2015), and, more recently, Palembang in South Sumatra (2016).
So what can I expect to see in Path of Totality for the Total Eclipse?
It all begins quietly, around 80 minutes before the total eclipse, with something called “first contact”: a little dent shows up on the right side of the Sun and gets bigger each minute.
The Moon keeps moving forward, making the Sun look smaller and turning it into a crescent. In the last few minutes before the total eclipse, a lot of things happen all at once: a strange twilight falls, making the far-off scenery look kind of gray; the air might suddenly get a few degrees colder. As the total eclipse gets closer and the sky gets even darker, you might start feeling a bit jittery. It’s a situation that you and everyone around you can’t control. That’s when you realize why ancient people both loved and feared eclipses.
If you lay out a big white sheet on the ground, you might see something cool called shadow bands. They look like wavy stripes of light and shadow moving around. Experts think they happen because the last bits of sunlight get twisted by our crazy atmosphere, similar to how a star’s light looks flickery. When the Sun becomes a thin line, it breaks into uneven dots and points of light known as “Baily’s Beads.” This happens because the last bits of sunlight shine through the rough valleys on the Moon’s edge.
Then, here comes the Moon’s dark shadow, rushing in like a big, fast cloud. Look to the west-northwest part of the sky, where the clouds will get super dark, making it seem like a huge storm is about to happen. When the total eclipse begins, the shadow quickly covers everything, and suddenly, it’s as dark as it is about half an hour after the sun sets. You’ll probably hear lots of sounds like “oohs” and “ahhs,” gasps, shouts, and even screams from everyone around you (you might be shouting too!) as the Moon completely hides the Sun.
The Sun will look like a jet-black circle, and for a few seconds, you’ll see a bright pink glow around it. That’s the Sun’s outer atmosphere, called the chromosphere. If you use binoculars, you might spot tiny pink or magenta flames around the black circle – those are called prominences. They’re hot clouds of hydrogen gas reaching up from the Sun’s surface for really long distances into space, like tens or hundreds of thousands of miles.
But the most amazing part is the pearly-white corona. It forms a kind of halo around the dark Sun disc and stretches out into space for millions of miles. You can only see it during totality, and it looks different in size, colors, and patterns in each eclipse. Sometimes it looks smooth and continuous, and other times you might see long rays shooting out in three or four directions, with ragged edges. It’s a spectacular sight!
Final Thoughts about Put in Bay Total Solar Eclipse
As mentioned, another Total Solar Eclipse is not slated to return until 2044. Therefore, making plans to come and bear witness this time around are paramount! What better place to watch it all go down(and up) than at Put-in-Bay. So, make your plans ahead of time and watch an eclipse: on island time! Make reservations at a great lodging provider, hop on a Put in Bay Ferry and set sail. Adventure awaits!