Have you heard the news? There will be a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024 and we’ll be able to watch it right here is Sussex County!
The best places in the North East to watch the solar eclipse will be in New York state around Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. If you’re in the Burlington area of Vermont or the Greenville area of Main you’ll also see total coverage.
Sussex County is just a little too far South to see full coverage. According to the 2024 solar eclipse maps, the northern parts of Sussex County will see about 93% coverage and the southern parts will see around 91% coverage.
ECLIPSE EXPLORER
NASA’s Eclipse Explorer is an interactive map designed to enhance your eclipse-viewing experience. Just enter your zip code and you can learn what will be visible in your area, see a prediction of the corona, compare this path to previous eclipses, and more.
The eclipse will begin at approximately 2:09 pm, with maximum coverage around 3:24 pm. The eclipse will end at 4:35 pm. According to The Weather Channel (at the time of writing), Monday looks to be sunny with a few clouds and a high of 62º, perfect eclipse viewing weather!
So where are the best places to view the total solar eclipse in Sussex County?
With a peak elevation of 1,803 feet, the obvious choice is High Point State Park. But be aware, the Monument is closed for the season, so you won’t be able to watch from there.
You need to look for wide open spaces with as few distractions as possible. Our local parks, and baseball fields are a great choice. The sun will be high in the sky so the trees on the outer edges shouldn’t block your view.
Check out Hampton Park (The Pit), White Lake Fields in Sparta, or Lodestar Park in Fredon. They all have beautiful wide open spaces with paved walking paths to get your steps in.
Most of our kids will be getting out of school around the time of the eclipse, so you might want to hang out there for a bit to watch. All of our schools have playgrounds, ball fields, or large parking lots that offer excellent views of the sky.
If hiking is more your thing, Sunrise Mountain in Stokes State Forest is another great option. With an elevation of 1,653 feet, it’s the second highest mountain in the state and has 360º views of the Delaware River Valley, Pennsylvania, High Point Mountain, and the farmlands of Sussex County.
Don’t forget the eye protection!!!
At the perfect viewing point of a total solar eclipse, the moon completely blocks out the sun leaving only an outer ring of light. While you could safely view the eclipse with the naked eye, it’s not recommended.
Here is Sussex County we will NOT see 100% coverage, so the sun’s damaging rays will still get by making it unsafe to view with the naked eye or even wearing regular sunglasses.
You need to wear certified eyewear that meets the safety requirements of the ISO 12312-2 international standard.
Here is a great listing of manufacturers, distributors, and retail stores where you can purchase certified eyewear and filters for your telescopes, binoculars, camera lenses, and smartphones.
I hope you enjoy the total solar eclipse on April 8th. Fingers crossed we have great weather and can all experience this beautiful event!
Members of Life In Sussex staff have contributed to this post.
