Solar Eclipse: How close will Michigan be to the full eclipse in 2024?

Did you see the solar eclipse?

It would have been an early morning for anyone who wanted to see the solar eclipse on Detroit's horizon this morning. But it was worth the view if you did.

(FOX 2) - A year from now, the Midwest and much of the continental U.S. will be abuzz with one of the rarest events: a solar eclipse.

On April 8, 2024, the moon will move in front of the sun and carve a path of shadow across several states - including right through the northern half of Ohio.

While it's been more than 200 years since the last solar eclipse passed over the state, a more recent event took place in 2017 when the path of the eclipse started in the northwest of the U.S. and moved across the middle of the country. It eventually went over North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina before disappearing over the Atlantic Ocean.

Next year's eclipse will start from the southwest in Mexico, before passing through Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Maine, and Connecticut.

The path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse. (Photo credit: Xavier M. Jubier. )

Anyone who finds themselves in what's known as the path of totality will have the best chance of seeing a full solar eclipse. According to the Shores & Islands Ohio website, which has a countdown to the next eclipse, the very northern edge of the full shadow's path will touch the bottom of Michigan.

Despite the time left before the next eclipse, there's already signs of preparation for the celestial event. Communities expected to be in the shadow of the eclipse can expect a large influx of travelers interested in seeing it for themselves.

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Those not in the path of totality will still see a partial eclipse. The closer to the path, the more the moon will block the sun.

To get a more complete view of where exactly the eclipse will be, there's an interactive Google map that can be found here.

The Moon’s shadow will move quickly during both eclipses. On the map, ovals within the eclipse paths show the location and shape of the shadow at different times. For example, during the total eclipse on April 8, 2024, the Moon’s shadow will be over (Credits: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

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For those in Michigan looking for the easiest journey to the path, northeast Ohio will be the best place to visit. Toledo, Cleveland, and Akron will all be in the path. As will the entirety of Lake Erie and the northern edge of Pennsylvania.

NASA has already posted a schedule of when the partial and full eclipse will start along its journey:

Dallas, Texas - full eclipse at 1:40 p.m. CDT
Little Rock, Arkansas - full eclipse at 1:51 p.m. CDT
Evansville, Indiana - full eclipse at 2:02 p.m. CDT
Cleveland, Ohio - full eclipse at 3:13 p.m. EDT
Erie, Pennsylvania - full eclipse at 3:16 p.m. EDT
Buffalo, New York - full eclipse at 3:18 p.m. EDT
Caribou, Maine - full eclipse at 3:32 p.m. EDT

Solar Eclipse in Michigan

Technically, the very southeast corner of Michigan will also be in the full eclipse's shadow. But don't count on much more of the state getting the same experience any time soon.

Next year's eclipse may be the best shot for Michiganders to see the full shadow since the next time the path of totality will pass over Michigan will be in 2099. Previously, the last solar eclipse to grace Michigan was in 1925.

During the 2017 event, Detroit experienced about an 80% eclipse.