The last time France experienced a total solar eclipse was 25 years ago, on August 11, 1999. The next time it will be 57 years from now, September 3, 2081. So obviously, French people lucky enough to be on vacation or living on the American continent will have something to brag about. Because this Monday, April 8, 2024, millions of people will be able to attend this event as rare as it is captivating. For barely three minutes, or even only a few seconds in places, residents of Mexico, the United States and Canada will be able to observe this unique celestial phenomenon, during which the Earth, Moon and Sun will experience perfect alignment. On a diagonal going from Mazatlán, in western Mexico, to Montreal, Quebec, via the American cities of Dallas and Indianapolis, the solar eclipse will be almost 100% visible.
But, weather conditions permitting, the entire population of the United States will at least be able to witness a partial eclipse – remembering to wear suitable glasses, at the risk of losing their sight – as will also be the case of certain French overseas communities. According to the channel La 1ère, it will be 98% visible on the island of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, at 5:43 p.m. local time (9:43 p.m. in Paris), for more than three minutes. The Paris Observatory indicates that Polynesia will witness a 60% eclipse, while the Antilles will have even less visibility.
Not in the path of totality for the total solar #eclipse? On April 8, we’ll bring everything to you by broadcasting from several locations along its trajectory, including @NASAGlenn—our only center in the eclipse’s path.
How to watch: https://t.co/H2JIZV3JH7 pic.twitter.com/71zcBAlYeZ
— NASA (@NASA) April 2, 2024
NASA will broadcast the event live
Unfortunately, therefore, it is impossible for residents of mainland France to witness this spectacle with their own eyes. On the other hand, there exists several solutions to observe the total solar eclipse without traveling thousands of kilometers. The Cité de l’espace, in Toulouse, will offer a live broadcast of the event. For others, it will also be possible to watch the phenomenon from home, thanks to the NASA online broadcast notably. On its YouTube and Twitch accounts, the American space agency will broadcast the eclipse live for three hours, from several observation points, in order to follow the trajectory in its entirety. The live will start at 1 p.m., i.e. 19 hours in the French time zone, in the video below.