Toronto Will Experience A Rare Solar Eclipse In 2024 & Here's How To Watch

What is the 2024 total solar eclipse?

On April 8, 2024, the moon will pass between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun and leaving only the sun's corona will be visible.

When this happens, the sky will darken for a few minutes as if it were dawn or dusk. The remaining part of the sun’s disk will appear to dazzle like a diamond set in a ring, according to Time and Date.

The solar eclipse will be a once-in-a-lifetime event for some — according to the Canadian Space Agency, Quebec hasn't witnessed a total solar eclipse in over 50 years, and it will be over 80 years before the next one.

However, you'll have to be in the narrow path of totality to witness these features of the eclipse. Unfortunately, Toronto lies just outside this path.

The city will still be treated to a partial eclipse, with about 99 percent coverage of the sun. According to Space.com, from Toronto, viewers will see the sun reduced down to a tiny slither, and light levels will drop momentarily.

What time is the solar eclipse in Toronto?

The eclipse will begin in Toronto at 2:05 p.m., according to Eclipse2024. The midpoint of the eclipse, when the maximum amount of the sun's disk is covered, will occur at 3:19 p.m.

The eclipse will end at 4:31 p.m., according to Time and Date.

While Toronto will only see about 99 percent coverage during this eclipse, it'll still be an event you won't want to miss — according to Time and Date, the next total solar eclipse visible from Toronto won't occur for another 120 years, in 2144.

The last total eclipse to grace the skies of North America was August 21, 2017, and was viewed as a 70 percent partial in Toronto, according to the Toronto Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Where to watch the solar eclipse in Toronto

Toronto Metropolitan University will be hosting an eclipse watch party that's open to students, faculty and the general public, with eclipse viewing glasses available for anyone who registers.

If you'll be watching the eclipse in the city, you'll want to look for an area with wide open skies, or elevated to avoid obstructions, as the event will be happening while the sun is lower in the sky.

Riverdale Park East, Polson Pier, and Trillium Park would all be great spots to take in the eclipse.

What cities near Toronto are in the path of totality?

Since Toronto lies just outside the path of totality, viewers in the city who want to experience totality don't have to travel too far to be able to see the total solar eclipse.

About an hour away, Hamilton will be solidly inside the path of totality. Here, totality will begin at 3:18 p.m. and last for 1 minute and 47 seconds.

The Niagara region will be one of the best places in the province to experience the eclipse, boasting one of the longest durations of totality in Ontario at 3 minutes and 32 seconds. Niagara Falls will also have a host of programming to celebrate the day.

Other nearby cities in the path of totality include St. Catharines, Brantford, Burlington, Cobourg, and Kingston. A full list of cities in the path of totality can be found on Eclipse2024.

How to safely watch the solar eclipse 

It's only ever safe to look at the eclipse with the naked eye during the few minutes of totality, when the sun is fully eclipsed by the moon, according to Time and Date. Otherwise, you should never look directly at the sun, even if it's partially eclipsed, without proper protective eyewear.

Since Toronto will not experience totality, it will only be safe to look at the eclipse with solar eclipse glasses. Some places where you can purchase solar eclipse glasses include local hobby shops, like Toytown on Avenue Road, online retailers like Ontario Telescope and All-Star Telescope, or on Amazon.

You can also project an image of the eclipsed sun by using a pinhole projector, which is easy to make at home.