THE GREAT AMERICAN SOLAR ECLIPSE

On the afternoon of Monday April 8th, 2024, Ohio will be one of the states to experience a total solar eclipse during the Great North American Solar Eclipse! Downtown Columbus, where COSI is located, will be at 99.6% partial eclipse, and we are excited to celebrate this epic experience with you!

By working with partners to engage, inspire, and transform lives and communities across the country, COSI is creating epic experiential activities, including our new Solar Connects Kit, to bring the magic of science to life for the total solar eclipse. Do not miss your chance to be involved – the next total solar eclipse in Ohio will be in 2099!

COSI ECLIPSE EXPERIENCE

April 8, 2024
1:00pm - 4:00pm
At COSI - Partial Eclipse Experience

Come explore the science of the Great American Eclipse with COSI! On April 8, 2024, COSI will offer hands-on educational STEAM demonstrations and activities, a live video stream of the eclipse in totality, free solar eclipse glasses and STEAM kits (while supplies last), and more from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. While you’re at COSI, be sure to check out of the all-new video, Eclipse: The Musical, made in partnership with Alphabet Rockers. All eclipse activities will be available to the public. Tickets to COSI will be available for those who want to continue the learning experience. Learn about the science of solar and lunar eclipses with COSI’s own Dr. B in 3!

OTHER ECLIPSE EVENTS with COSI

COSI & Land Grant Eclipse Party!
April 8, 12:00 pm-4:00 pm
At Land Grant - Partial Eclipse Experience

Join Land Grant and COSI for the 2024 Great American Solar Eclipse! Try the all-new Land Grant/COSI Eclipse Beer - Totality, a delicious black ale with a smooth, dark finish. During this family-friendly event, guests will enjoy hands-on demos from COSI and access to Gravity Park at Land Grant. Stop by to receive free solar eclipse glasses (while supplies last) and enjoy an eclipse with beer and science!

COSI and Columbus Metropolitan Library Solar Eclipse Watch Party!
April 8, 1:00pm - 4:40pm
at Main Columbus Metropolitan Branch - Partial Eclipse Experience

On April 8 from 1:00 PM – 4:40 PM, join the Columbus Metropolitan Library and COSI for an exciting viewing party to celebrate the Great American Eclipse! Youth and families will have the chance to engage with hands-on science activities and storytelling around space and the eclipse. Guests will receive free solar eclipse glasses and COSI Solar kits (while supplies last) to encourage extended learning at home. Visit any Columbus Metropolitan Library branch location before April 8 to obtain solar eclipse glasses and solar kits (while supplies last).

2024 Total Eclipse Event with NASA at the Indianapolis Speedway, Presented by Purdue University!
at Indianapolis Speedway - Total Eclipse Experience

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and there’s no better place to enjoy it than at the Racing Capital of the World! Join the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASA, and COSI on April 8, 2024, for the total solar eclipse that will cross North America. NASA will broadcast live from the facility, and experts will be on-hand to answer questions about the scientific phenomenon that is a total solar eclipse! COSI will be there to provide interactive, hands-on STEAM activities.

Main Street Delaware First Friday – The Space to Be!
April 5, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
at downtown Delaware, Ohio

Join COSI at Main Street Delaware’s April First Friday on April 5! April’s First Friday will focus on the upcoming eclipse with space-themed activities and games for children and families. Each month offers a themed event, free children’s activities while businesses stay open late to accommodate the fun from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. These events encourage neighbors to join, walk the shops, eat locally, and enjoy the community.

Celebrating the Great American Eclipse and Ohio’s State Parks: A Day of Discovery, Wonder, and Science!
April 8
at Indian Lake Park and Headlands Beach - Total Eclipse Experience
Join the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, COSI, and other partners from across the state for the Great American Eclipse at Indian Lake Park and Headlands Beach on April 8. During both events, visitors will experience interactive, hands-on science activities as well as the chance to discover the wonder of nature during a celestial event. Free solar eclipse glasses will be available (while supplies last) from both COSI and ODNR. COSI will also be distributing a limited number of Solar Learning Lunchbox kits to encourage continued learning at home.

Total Eclipse Fest 2024!
April 6-8
at North Coast Harbor in Downtown Cleveland - Total Eclipse Experience

Join COSI as we partner with the Great Lakes Science Center and NASA Glenn Research Center for Total Eclipse Fest 2024. This celestial celebration is a free, outdoor, family-friendly science and arts festival featuring food vendors, entertainment, activities, free solar eclipse glasses (while supplies last), and a free community concert performance by The Cleveland Orchestra on Sunday, April 7. Celebrate STEAM learning for all as Northeast Ohio’s most active STEAM businesses and community organizations come together for Total Eclipse Fest. For more information, please the Great Lakes Science Center's website here.

ENGAGE WITH COSI

PURCHASE

DIGITAL LEARNING

WATCH

THE SCIENCE OF AN ECLIPSE

What is an eclipse?
In our solar system, an eclipse happens when a planet or moon blocks the Sun and creates a shadow on another object in space.

Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun and casts a shadow over earth.

Lunar Eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is positioned between the moon and the Sun and casts a shadow on the surface of the moon.

Different Solar Eclipses

Total Solar Eclipse
The moon will completely block the light of the sun. The sky will darken. Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the Sun's bright corona, or outer atmosphere, which can only be seen during a total eclipse!

Partial Solar Eclipse
COSI is not quite in the path of totality, so we will experience a partial solar eclipse. Here we will be at 99.6% totality. The Moon will block nearly all of the Sun, leaving only a small sliver of light.

Annular Solar Eclipse
During an annular solar eclipse the Moon is farther away from Earth. Because of this, the Moon doesn't quite cover the entire Sun. Instead of a totally blocked Sun, people on the path of annularity see a so-called "ring of fire" in the sky.

Great American Eclipse 2024

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Most of North America will experience a partial eclipse, but the most impressive sight will be along the path of totality where a total solar eclipse will be visible. Major cities within the path include Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico: Dallas, Texas: Indianapolis, Indiana: Cleveland, Ohio: and Burlington, Vermont.

Totality
While most of the US will experience a partial eclipse, a path from Texas to Maine will experience totality. A period in which the Sun will be completely blocked with only the corona visible. The length of time in totality will range from about 4.5 minutes at the maximum to about 3 minutes at the minimum.

Visibility
This will depend on location, but also weather. It will still be spectacular with clouds, but the corona may not be visible in the path of totality of the skies are cloudy.

Timing of the 2024 Eclipse
In Ohio, totality will last a little under 4 minutes where it is visible. In Columbus, the start of the partial eclipse will begin around 1:55pm and end around 4:27pm. The eclipse in Columbus will reach 99.6% totality at its maxiumum, around 3:18pm on April 8.

Solar Safety

Eye Danger
Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.

Proper Safety Tools
When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes you must always look through safe solar viewing glasses ("eclipse glasses") or a safe handheld solar viewer. You can also use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector.

Fast Facts

Visible Planets
If it is a clear day, we might be able to see Venus or even Jupiter in the sky during the eclipse. They will look like stars that do not twinkle.

The next North American eclipse
The next solar eclipse with totality that passes over North America will not be until March 30, 2033. You would need to be in northern Alaska to see it! Another eclipse of this type will not be visible in the contiguous United States until August of 2044.

Animal Reactions
Animal reactions are varied. Some may exhibit nighttime behavior: spiders destroying their webs, bees returning to their hives, and birds going silent or suddently roosting. Other animals may show more anxiety-like or frenetic behavior. Some dogs' behavior can appear exited, but less than what a thunderstorm causes.

Interesting Effects
During the partial eclipse shadows may appear crisper. Gaps between leaves and other small openings will act like a pinhole camera projecting images of the crescent Sun on surrounding surfaces.