The total solar eclipse is shaping up to be the big event of the year! Come April, Texas towns that will be within the path of totality, will soon be taken over by tourists hoping to get one (safe) glimpse of the eclipse!

And who can blame them, this will be the final total solar eclipse until 2044!

When and Where is the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse?

The total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, is expected to be a significant astronomical event, visible across parts of North America. It will be the last total eclipse we'll see over North America until 2044. The path of totality, where the Sun will be completely covered by the Moon, is projected to cross regions of the United States, including parts of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The eclipse has people flocking to Texas towns, looking up AirBnB's to stay at and looking up events to join in on to get a full experience. Some towns are already anticipating a huge crowd and have already issued a state of emergency!

NASA is also joining on the festivities. Eclipse festivals in Waco, Kerville, Stonewall, Austin and Dallas will now be accompanied by NASA speakers, and for some of the events, they will be live streamed. A majority of the eclipse events will also be free to the public!

In a press release, Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington said:

There is space for everyone to join NASA in experiencing this beautiful amalgamation of our Earth, Sun and Moon in an alignment that will not only lead to new scientific discoveries, but an incredible shared moment of inspiration and awe.

Each eclipse festival will have their own programs and live entertainment. You can check a list of the events NASA will be at here.