20th Century - Great American Eclipse

Great American Eclipse

• Totality Basics Eclipse Splendor Phenomena Future eclipses
• Eclipse Daily
• 2024 Total 2024 April 8 Total Solar Eclipse 2024 Total Solar Eclipse over the United States Double Diamond Ring Visitation Texas 2024 eclipse Oklahoma 2024 eclipse Arkansas 2024 eclipse Missouri 2024 eclipse Kentucky 2024 eclipse Illinois 2024 eclipse Indiana 2024 eclipse Ohio 2024 eclipse Pennsylvania 2024 eclipse New York 2024 eclipse Vermont 2024 eclipse New Hampshire 2024 eclipse Maine 2024 eclipse
• 2023 Annular 2023 October 14 Overview 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse over the United States Oregon 2023 eclipse California 2023 eclipse Nevada 2023 eclipse Arizona 2023 eclipse Utah 2023 eclipse Colorado 2023 eclipse New Mexico 2023 eclipse Texas 2023 eclipse
• 21st Century Solar eclipses of the 21st century Solar eclipses from 2001 to 2010 Solar eclipses from 2011 to 2020 Solar eclipses from 2021 to 2030 Solar eclipses from 2031 to 2040 Solar eclipses from 2041 to 2050 Solar eclipses from 2051 to 2060 Solar eclipses from 2061 to 2070 Solar eclipses from 2071 to 2080 Solar eclipses from 2081 to 2090 Solar eclipses from 2091 to 2100
• 2017 Total Context National maps Statistics Best places to view Oregon eclipse Idaho eclipse Wyoming eclipse Nebraska eclipse Kansas eclipse Missouri eclipse Illinois eclipse Kentucky eclipse Tennessee eclipse Georgia eclipse North Carolina eclipse South Carolina eclipse
• History 17th & 18th centuries 19th century 20th century March 20, 2015 Total Solar Eclipse March 9, 2016 Total Solar Eclipse July 2, 2019 Annular Solar Eclipse 2019 Dec 26 Total Solar Eclipse 2020 Dec 14 Total Solar Eclipse 2021 Jun 10 Annular Solar Eclipse 2021 Dec 4 Total Solar Eclipse 2023 Apr 20 Total Solar Eclipse
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• Totality/
  • Basics
  • Eclipse
  • Splendor
  • Phenomena
  • Future eclipses
• Eclipse Daily/
• 2024 Total/
  • 2024 April 8 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2024 Total Solar Eclipse over the United States
  • Double Diamond Ring
  • Visitation
  • Texas 2024 eclipse
  • Oklahoma 2024 eclipse
  • Arkansas 2024 eclipse
  • Missouri 2024 eclipse
  • Kentucky 2024 eclipse
  • Illinois 2024 eclipse
  • Indiana 2024 eclipse
  • Ohio 2024 eclipse
  • Pennsylvania 2024 eclipse
  • New York 2024 eclipse
  • Vermont 2024 eclipse
  • New Hampshire 2024 eclipse
  • Maine 2024 eclipse
• 2023 Annular/
  • 2023 October 14 Overview
  • 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse over the United States
  • Oregon 2023 eclipse
  • California 2023 eclipse
  • Nevada 2023 eclipse
  • Arizona 2023 eclipse
  • Utah 2023 eclipse
  • Colorado 2023 eclipse
  • New Mexico 2023 eclipse
  • Texas 2023 eclipse
• 21st Century/
  • Solar eclipses of the 21st century
  • Solar eclipses from 2001 to 2010
  • Solar eclipses from 2011 to 2020
  • Solar eclipses from 2021 to 2030
  • Solar eclipses from 2031 to 2040
  • Solar eclipses from 2041 to 2050
  • Solar eclipses from 2051 to 2060
  • Solar eclipses from 2061 to 2070
  • Solar eclipses from 2071 to 2080
  • Solar eclipses from 2081 to 2090
  • Solar eclipses from 2091 to 2100
• 2017 Total/
  • Context
  • National maps
  • Statistics
  • Best places to view
  • Oregon eclipse
  • Idaho eclipse
  • Wyoming eclipse
  • Nebraska eclipse
  • Kansas eclipse
  • Missouri eclipse
  • Illinois eclipse
  • Kentucky eclipse
  • Tennessee eclipse
  • Georgia eclipse
  • North Carolina eclipse
  • South Carolina eclipse
• History/
  • 17th & 18th centuries
  • 19th century
  • 20th century
  • March 20, 2015 Total Solar Eclipse
  • March 9, 2016 Total Solar Eclipse
  • July 2, 2019 Annular Solar Eclipse
  • 2019 Dec 26 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2020 Dec 14 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2021 Jun 10 Annular Solar Eclipse
  • 2021 Dec 4 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2023 Apr 20 Total Solar Eclipse
• More/
  • About
  • Mobile App And Add Your Event
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Press
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Total solar eclipse of April 8th, 2024

20th century

Maps and stories of total solar eclipses seen from the United States in the 20th century

• Totality/
  • Basics
  • Eclipse
  • Splendor
  • Phenomena
  • Future eclipses
• Eclipse Daily/
• 2024 Total/
  • 2024 April 8 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2024 Total Solar Eclipse over the United States
  • Double Diamond Ring
  • Visitation
  • Texas 2024 eclipse
  • Oklahoma 2024 eclipse
  • Arkansas 2024 eclipse
  • Missouri 2024 eclipse
  • Kentucky 2024 eclipse
  • Illinois 2024 eclipse
  • Indiana 2024 eclipse
  • Ohio 2024 eclipse
  • Pennsylvania 2024 eclipse
  • New York 2024 eclipse
  • Vermont 2024 eclipse
  • New Hampshire 2024 eclipse
  • Maine 2024 eclipse
• 2023 Annular/
  • 2023 October 14 Overview
  • 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse over the United States
  • Oregon 2023 eclipse
  • California 2023 eclipse
  • Nevada 2023 eclipse
  • Arizona 2023 eclipse
  • Utah 2023 eclipse
  • Colorado 2023 eclipse
  • New Mexico 2023 eclipse
  • Texas 2023 eclipse
• 21st Century/
  • Solar eclipses of the 21st century
  • Solar eclipses from 2001 to 2010
  • Solar eclipses from 2011 to 2020
  • Solar eclipses from 2021 to 2030
  • Solar eclipses from 2031 to 2040
  • Solar eclipses from 2041 to 2050
  • Solar eclipses from 2051 to 2060
  • Solar eclipses from 2061 to 2070
  • Solar eclipses from 2071 to 2080
  • Solar eclipses from 2081 to 2090
  • Solar eclipses from 2091 to 2100
• 2017 Total/
  • Context
  • National maps
  • Statistics
  • Best places to view
  • Oregon eclipse
  • Idaho eclipse
  • Wyoming eclipse
  • Nebraska eclipse
  • Kansas eclipse
  • Missouri eclipse
  • Illinois eclipse
  • Kentucky eclipse
  • Tennessee eclipse
  • Georgia eclipse
  • North Carolina eclipse
  • South Carolina eclipse
• History/
  • 17th & 18th centuries
  • 19th century
  • 20th century
  • March 20, 2015 Total Solar Eclipse
  • March 9, 2016 Total Solar Eclipse
  • July 2, 2019 Annular Solar Eclipse
  • 2019 Dec 26 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2020 Dec 14 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2021 Jun 10 Annular Solar Eclipse
  • 2021 Dec 4 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2023 Apr 20 Total Solar Eclipse
• More/
  • About
  • Mobile App And Add Your Event
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Press
  • Guidelines for use
  • Resources
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• Sign InMy Account

The total solar eclipse of June 8, 1918 crossed the United States from Washington State to Florida. This path is roughly similar to the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse and was the last time totality crossed the nation from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

The US Naval Observatory dispatched an expedition to Baker City, Oregon and successfully observed the eclipse. An artist, Howard Russell Baker, sketched the corona and made a fine painting of the eclipse. Baker City is also within the path of the 2017 eclipse.

The total solar eclipse of September 10, 1923 just grazed the southwestern corner of California, crossing Point Concepcion, the Channel Islands, and San Diego. Bad weather thwarted most observers in this area.

The total solar eclipse of January 24, 1925 was seen by perhaps millions of people in the New York metropolitan area and the northeastern United States. It was a brilliantly clear but very cold day in New York. This eclipse was notable for the number of observatories fortuitously placed in the path as well as the airplanes and dirigible dispatched for a better view.

The total solar eclipse of August 31, 1932 crossed over northeast Canada and the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and a small part of Massachusetts. Many people took trains to New England to witness this spectacle.

A total solar eclipse crossed over the northwest United States and Canada on July 9, 1945 as the second World War was winding down. Newspapers of the day splashed eclipse news along with news of bombing raids on Japan.

The total solar eclipse of June 30, 1954 began at sunrise in Nebraska and traversed South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin before crossing Canada on its way to Scandinavia, Europe, and South Asia.

The total solar eclipse of October 2, 1959 began over Massachusetts. The late Professor Donald Menzel of Williams College hired an airplane to view the eclipse with some of his students. One student, Jay Pasachoff, went on to become a prominent solar astrophysicist and credits this experience as a defining moment in launching his career studying the Sun's corona.

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The northeast corner of the United States was again visited by the Moon's shadow on July 20, 1963. This eclipse is a plot device in a novel by Stephen King, Gerald's Game.

The total solar eclipse of March 7, 1970 crossed the state of Florida and much of the Atlantic seaboard. Many of today's veteran eclipse chasers began their pursuit with this eclipse as it was accessible to many on the East Coast.

The last total solar eclipse within the contiguous 48 United States was on February 26, 1979. Many of those who travelled to see this eclipse were successful but only because of relocating under partly cloudy skies.

The total solar eclipse of July 11, 1991 was the last to touch any of the 50 United States. Many flew to Hawai'i for this eclipse and sadly most were disappointed by unseasonably cloudy weather on the Kona coast of the Big Island. Many others flew or drove to the tip of Baja California and were rewarded with excellent views of an extremely long duration eclipse, up to 6 minutes and 53 seconds.

• Totality/
  • Basics
  • Eclipse
  • Splendor
  • Phenomena
  • Future eclipses
• Eclipse Daily/
• 2024 Total/
  • 2024 April 8 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2024 Total Solar Eclipse over the United States
  • Double Diamond Ring
  • Visitation
  • Texas 2024 eclipse
  • Oklahoma 2024 eclipse
  • Arkansas 2024 eclipse
  • Missouri 2024 eclipse
  • Kentucky 2024 eclipse
  • Illinois 2024 eclipse
  • Indiana 2024 eclipse
  • Ohio 2024 eclipse
  • Pennsylvania 2024 eclipse
  • New York 2024 eclipse
  • Vermont 2024 eclipse
  • New Hampshire 2024 eclipse
  • Maine 2024 eclipse
• 2023 Annular/
  • 2023 October 14 Overview
  • 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse over the United States
  • Oregon 2023 eclipse
  • California 2023 eclipse
  • Nevada 2023 eclipse
  • Arizona 2023 eclipse
  • Utah 2023 eclipse
  • Colorado 2023 eclipse
  • New Mexico 2023 eclipse
  • Texas 2023 eclipse
• 21st Century/
  • Solar eclipses of the 21st century
  • Solar eclipses from 2001 to 2010
  • Solar eclipses from 2011 to 2020
  • Solar eclipses from 2021 to 2030
  • Solar eclipses from 2031 to 2040
  • Solar eclipses from 2041 to 2050
  • Solar eclipses from 2051 to 2060
  • Solar eclipses from 2061 to 2070
  • Solar eclipses from 2071 to 2080
  • Solar eclipses from 2081 to 2090
  • Solar eclipses from 2091 to 2100
• 2017 Total/
  • Context
  • National maps
  • Statistics
  • Best places to view
  • Oregon eclipse
  • Idaho eclipse
  • Wyoming eclipse
  • Nebraska eclipse
  • Kansas eclipse
  • Missouri eclipse
  • Illinois eclipse
  • Kentucky eclipse
  • Tennessee eclipse
  • Georgia eclipse
  • North Carolina eclipse
  • South Carolina eclipse
• History/
  • 17th & 18th centuries
  • 19th century
  • 20th century
  • March 20, 2015 Total Solar Eclipse
  • March 9, 2016 Total Solar Eclipse
  • July 2, 2019 Annular Solar Eclipse
  • 2019 Dec 26 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2020 Dec 14 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2021 Jun 10 Annular Solar Eclipse
  • 2021 Dec 4 Total Solar Eclipse
  • 2023 Apr 20 Total Solar Eclipse
• More/
  • About
  • Mobile App And Add Your Event
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Press
  • Guidelines for use
  • Resources
  • Desktop backgrounds
• Sign InMy Account

Great American Eclipse

On April 8, 2024, nature's grandest spectacle -- a total eclipse of the sun -- will cross over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. This is your guide to understand, plan for, and view this amazing sight!

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