Join us on Monday, April 8, for the celestial event of the decade—the total solar eclipse! Lorain County is in the path of totality for this event, which means that Earth’s moon will completely shadow the sun. Celebrate this event with Lorain County Metro Parks at one of two viewing locations: Lakeview Park in Lorain or Carlisle Equestrian Center in LaGrange. Both viewing locations will offer activities and information from 11 am-5 pm, including a Solar System Walk. This walk-through display will offer fun and educational information about the planets in our solar system.

Plus, we’ve partnered with the Black River Astronomical Society, which will be onsite at both viewing locations to answer questions and provide telescopes with the proper filters to view the eclipse. A limited number of FREE solar viewing glasses will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each park will open at 8 am with no early entry permitted. Parking will be limited, and visitors should be prepared for traffic pattern changes. Overnight parking and camping are strictly prohibited. This event will happen rain or shine, and visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather and to bring their own lawn chairs. For safety, pets/dogs are not permitted at our events, except for service animals.

The Lorain County Metro Parks wants you to have a safe and enjoyable eclipse viewing experience.  Please remember that there will be more than the usual number of visitors in the parks that day. We want to remind all park visitors to:

  • Bring only the essentials to the parks: keys, driver's license, and cellular phone. If you can, plan ahead and leave your valuables (including purses) at home.

  • Keep all valuables, bags, and purses out of sight in your vehicle.

  • If you decide to place items in your trunk, please do so before arriving at the park. 

  • Roll up car windows and lock all doors.

  • If you observe any suspicious activity in a park, call the Rangers at 440-670-4692 or dial 911.  

LORAIN COUNTY METRO PARKS VIEWING LOCATIONS

Lakeview Park
1800 West Erie Ave., Lorain, OH 44052
Event: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Gates open: 8:00 a.m.

Celebrate this event with information, food, and an excellent viewing location on the shores of Lake Erie.  A limited number of solar viewing glasses will be available on a first-come first served basis. Bring your own folding chair! Park opens at 8 a.m. with the event starting at 11 a.m. Black River Astronomical Society members will be on hand to answer questions and provide telescopes with the proper filters to view the solar eclipse event.

Amenities available: 

  • Sunset Café will be open with breakfast (8:00 - 11:00 a.m.) and lunch (11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) items available for purchase, as well as water, juice, coffee, and hot cocoa. Lakeview Beach Concessions will also be open from 2:00-6:00 p.m. All sales will be CASH ONLY. 

  • Limited parking will be available, and traffic patterns will be modified to accommodate the influx of vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

  • Limited number of free Solar Eclipse glasses will be available (first come, first served).

  • Solar System Walk – discover the planets as you walk through the solar system located throughout the park.

Carlisle Reservation - Equestrian Center and Nielsen Observatory
13630 Diagonal Rd., LaGrange, OH 44050
Event: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Gates open: 8:00 a.m.

Celebrate this event with information and an excellent viewing location at the Nielsen Observatory.  Black River Astronomical Society will have telescopes available for viewing as well as members who will share solar eclipse information. The park opens at 8 a.m.; no early entry will be permitted. The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. A limited number of solar viewing glasses will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring your own folding chair! The Nielsen Observatory will be staffed with members of the Black River Astronomical Society, who will be on hand to answer questions and provide telescopes with the proper filters to view the solar eclipse event.

As space is limited, parking at the Equestrian Center will be reserved for handicap access only. Additional parking will be available at the Carlisle Visitor Center (12882 Diagonal Rd.) or Carlisle Duck Pond (12550 Diagonal Rd.). The Equestrian Center will be accessible by walking trail from the Visitor Center (approx. 1.25 miles) and Duck Pond Picnic Area (approx. 2 miles). Limited shuttle services will be available.

Amenities available:

  • While supplies last, a limited concessions menu will be available from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. All sales will be CASH ONLY.

  • Limited number of free Solar Eclipse glasses will be available (first come, first served).

  • Solar System Walk – discover the planets as you walk through the solar system located throughout the park.

The Astronomy Speaker Series will feature lectures and talks from members of the Black River Astronomical Society on various astronomical topics leading up to the April 8 Total Solar Eclipse. All sessions are free to attend and do not require pre-registration.

  • Wednesday, January 10, 2024 | 7:00 p.m.
    Wellington Reservation,
    535 Jones Rd., Wellington, OH 44090

Dave Lengyel of the Black River Astronomical Society will speak at Wellington Reservation on the upcoming Total Eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024.

  • Wednesday, February 14, 2024 | 7:00 p.m.
    Carlisle Visitor Center,
    12882 Diagonal Rd., LaGrange, OH 44050

Dan Walker of the Black  River Astronomical Society will speak at the Carlisle Visitor Center on several astronomy topics, including the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse in April 2024. 

  • Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | 7:00 p.m.
    Vermilion River Reservation, Carriage Barn
    51211 North Ridge Rd., Vermilion, OH 44089

Steven Schauer of the Black River Astronomical Society will speak at the Vermilion Reservation about the upcoming 2024 Total Eclipse.

  • Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | 7:00 p.m.
    French Creek Nature Center
    4530 Colorado Ave., Sheffield Village, OH 44054

Steven Schauer of the Black River Astronomical Society will speak at the French Creek Nature Center about the upcoming 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.

  • Friday, April 5, 2024 | 7:00 p.m.
    Sandy Ridge Reservation, Johnson Wetland Center
    6195 Otten Rd., North Ridgeville, OH 44039

Dan Walker of the Black River Astronomical Society will speak on several astronomy topics, including the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024.

SOLAR ECLIPSE FAQ

What exactly is a total Solar Eclipse?"

A TOTAL solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the center of the Moon’s shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun. A total solar eclipse is the only type of solar eclipse where viewers can momentarily remove their eclipse glasses (which are not the same as regular sunglasses) for the brief period of time when the Moon is completely blocking the Sun. The next total solar eclipse will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal, and will occur on August 12, 2026. The next total solar eclipse to occur in the contiguous United States will be in 2044.

An ANNULAR solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover the Sun. As a result, the Moon appears as a dark disk on top of a larger, bright disk, creating what looks like a ring around the Moon.

What can I expect?

The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun. You need clear skies to have the full eclipse experience, with a clear view of the Sun and Moon. However, the eerie daytime darkness associated with eclipses is still noticeable with cloud cover. You can also expect the temperature to drop about 10 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the humidity and cloud cover at your location. When a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife sometimes wakes up, thinking that it’s nighttime, and non-nocturnal wildlife might think it’s time to head to sleep!

What does the path of totality mean?

The path of totality is where observers will see the Moon completely cover the Sun.

Where will the Eclipse occur?

The Monday, April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The total solar eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean. Weather permitting, the first location in continental North America that will experience totality is Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 2:07 p.m. EDT (local time).

The path of the eclipse continues from Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton. The eclipse will exit continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 3:46 p.m. EDT (local time).

When will the Total Eclipse occur in Lorain County?

Lorain County will experience a partial eclipse before reaching totality. The partial eclipse begins at 1:59 p.m. and ends at 4:29 p.m. Totality will last approximately 3 minutes and 52 seconds. It will begin at 3:13 p.m. and end at 3:17 p.m.

What causes an eclipse to occur?

Eclipses occur due to the special coincidence of the Moon and the Sun being the same angular size. The Sun is approximately 400 times wider than the Moon, but it is also approximately 400 times farther away, so they appear to be the same size in our sky. This is what allows the Moon to completely block the Sun during total solar eclipses.

However, the Moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle, so when it is at its farthest point from the Earth, the Moon will appear slightly smaller than the Sun. Eclipses that happen during this phase of the Moon’s orbit are known as annular eclipses, and the Sun is still visible in a “ring of fire” encircling the Moon.

How rare are total solar eclipses?

Every 1,000 years there are 840 partial eclipses, 791 annular eclipses, 635 total eclipses, and 114 hybrid eclipses throughout the world. That works out to 2-3 solar eclipses of all kinds each year, and about 2 total solar eclipses every 3 years. This, however, will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2044 and it is estimated that in any given location on Earth, a total eclipse happens only once every 360 years!

How do you safely view a total solar eclipse?

The Sun’s surface is so bright that if you stare at any portion of it, no matter how small, it produces enough light to damage individual retinal cells. It takes a few seconds for this to happen, but afterward, you will see a spot as big as the solar surface you glimpsed when you look away from the Sun at some other scenery. Depending on how long you gazed at the Sun and how badly the retinal cells were damaged, this spot will either fade away in time or remain permanent. You should never assume that you can look away quickly enough to avoid eye damage because every person is different in terms of their retinal sensitivity, and you do not want to risk being the one who damages their eyes just to try to look at the Sun.

If you want to see what the Sun looks like, use a properly-equipped telescope or solar viewing glasses. You could also go online and view thousands of pictures taken of the Sun by telescopes and NASA spacecraft!

Why is it not safe to look at the Sun even when only a small part of it is visible?

The rods and cones in the human retina are very sensitive to light. Normally during daylight conditions, the iris contracts so that only a small, safe amount of light passes through the lens and then reaches the retina. However, the Sun’s surface is so bright that even a thin sliver of its light can still damage the eye if you were to look directly at it. When exposed to direct sunlight, retinal cells will become damaged, sometimes permanently. This can happen even after a quick glance at the Sun so it is very important to never look at the Sun directly. To look at the Sun, use solar viewing glasses or a properly-equipped telescope.



All information above sourced from: science.nasa.gov