Eclipse 2024: Your Guide to Viewing in Bryan/College Station
Prepare for an out-of-this-world experience as the highly anticipated Solar Eclipse of 2024 makes its way across North America. Bryan/College Station, favored with a location just about an hour outside the eclipse’s path of totality, readies itself for local events to watch the 98 percent partial eclipse. Others a little more adventurous are making the drive to experience it fully.
Bryan/College Station Events
On April 8, visitors and locals to Bryan/College Station can participate in a variety of events designed around the spectacular show in the sky. In Bryan, a watch party takes place at the Lake Walk from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. In contrast, College Station hosts a watch party accompanied by live music at Century Square between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The libraries at Clara B. Mounce and Larry J. Ringer also welcome attendees at their respective watch parties from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The Move to Totality
Total eclipse enthusiasts referred to as “eclipse hunters,” are willing to travel to get the maximum eclipse experience. Some state their intentions, “We’re going to go to Waco,”, “We’re going up to Marlin, Texas to watch the eclipse,” demonstrating the drive of about 100,000 visitors expected to crowd Waco and surrounding areas for the complete eclipse experience.
What to Expect
The astronomy spectacle of the year in Bryan/College Station starts at 12:20 p.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. with the peak observable at 1:39 p.m., providing an impressive 98.3 percent coverage. Expect a wave of awe and fascination to spread over spectators at this display of cosmic predictability. As one local put it succinctly: “It just makes it — it’s kind of ominous, and it just makes it kind of spooky-type thing, so it’s I think a little edge, that’s why I like it very much.”
Before the Big Day
In preparation, remember to honor safety rules while viewing the spectacle. Eclipse glasses will be available for free at all events. Students can pick up theirs ahead of time at the Evans Library. These protective glasses allow viewers to watch the celestial marvel safely without the risk of incurring eye damage.
Conclusion
Whether you’re an eclipse hunter bent on capturing the maximum totality or content with a 98 percent partial eclipse, there’s something for everyone in Bryan/College Station this April 8. So, set your sights on the heavens and prepare for a fascinating experience as the moon cloaks the sun in an awe-inducing spectacle right in our skies.