Green Source DFW reporter Amy Martin, third from right, with her husband Scooter Smith, second from right, traveled to northwestern Nebraska for the total solar eclipse in 2017. Photo courtesy of Amy Martin.
Feb. 23, 2024
A total solar eclipse is coming to Texas April 8.
For those with reservations at a Texas State Park, there will be some fun gadgets to enhance your viewing, thanks to a Dallas philanthropist.
Dallas-based Lyda Hill Philanthropies through Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is providing tabletop sun-spotter telescopes, telescope tripods and solar filters, binocular filters, smartphone sun photography adapters and eclipse-themed books to be distributed among the 31 Texas State Parks that are within the path of totality. In addition, 20,000 eclipse safety glasses will be donated in advance of the event.
“As a science enthusiast, I am glad to support efforts to allow more Texans to experience this special, rare phenomenon at one of our State Parks,” said Lyda Hill, Dallas-based entrepreneur and founder of Lyda Hill Philanthropies. “An astronomical event like a total solar eclipse is the sort of memory that can inspire a lifetime of appreciation for nature and science, something I wish for all fellow Texans.”
On the day of the eclipse, Texas State Park staff will offer special programming aimed at safely observing the celestial spectacle, explaining the science behind the phenomenon and putting it in historical and cultural context.
In North Texas, nearby state parks in the path of totality include Cleburne, Cedar Hill, Dinosaur Valley, Lake Tawakoni, Lake Whitney, Meridan and Tyler State Parks.
Camping reservations are mostly full already, according to Lydia Saldana, media spokeperson for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Day use passes will be available starting March 8 at 8 a.m.
Day use passes will be available starting March 8 at 8 a.m.
"Texas State Parks officials predict a VERY busy day in the parks, so getting day passes when they become available is recommended," Saldana said via email.
Reserve a site online or by calling the Customer Service Center at 512-389-8900. Walk-in sites will be not available.
You can make two separate reservations per account. This can be two separate campsite reservations or two separate day pass reservations. The two separate day pass reservations would be for two vehicles and everyone inside those vehicles.
More Eclipse Viewing at State Park FAQs.
DOOMSDAY EVENT?
In case you haven't been paying attention, the Texas solar eclipse is a big deal. The last total solar eclipse that crossed the U.S. was in 2017. After this year’s event, the next one in the contiguous states will occur on Aug. 23, 2044.
For millennia, solar eclipses have been interpreted as omens of doom by virtually every known civilization, according to NASA.
But Amy Martin, Green Source DFW reporter and author of Wild DFW, describes totality as totally awesome. Read her eyewitness account from the last total solar eclipse.
GOING DARK
During a total solar eclipse, the New Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, transforming daytime into dusk for several minutes along the eclipse’s path.
This year, the “path of totality”— where you can experience the total solar eclipse — will traverse Central and North America, including a wide swath of Texas.
The Date & Time website offers this sequence for the 2024 Eclipse in Dallas:
• Begins: at 12:23 pm — outer lunar shadow touches the solar face
• Maximum at 1:42 pm — solar face is covered as much as possible
• Ends at 3:02 pm — outer lunar shadow exits the solar face
The Fort Worth 2024 sequence starts and ends only one minute earlier.To get the most specific times for DFW area, visit Date & Time's annular solar eclipse page
The maximum duration of totality in Texas is 4 minutes and 22 seconds. In DFW, Fort Worth will experience 2 minutes and 43 seconds of totality; Arlington gets 3 minutes 20 seconds; and Dallas, 3 minutes, 50 seconds.
While nearby towns like Hillsboro, Ennis, Wills Point and Terrell will get the full 4 minutes and 22 seconds or close to it. See more on Texas cities in the path of totality.
According to NASA, the longest duration of a total solar eclipse is about 7 and a half minutes.
RESOURCES
• Take care to view it safely! Use eclipse glasses and follow the American Astronomical Society instructions.
• You can get more info, maps and merch online at the Great American Eclipse.
• NASA also has a 2024 Solar Eclipse guide.
• Eclipse Viewing at State Parks.
Where are you spending Eclipse 2024? We want to know! Email julie@greensourcedfw.org.
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Author
JULIE THIBODEAUX
Julie Thibodeaux is the Editor for Green Source DFW. Previously, she worked as an editor and writer at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
