Austin, TX
What is the path of the 2024 solar eclipse in Texas? See interactive map
What you can expect to experience during April’s total solar eclipse
On April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross North America. It will be the last one visible from the contiguous United States until 2044.
Soon Texans will get to see something that rarely happens.
The total solar eclipse is set to be seen on April 8, according to NASA. The path of the eclipse will be along a southwest-to-northeast line through North America. Scientists say it will be the last total solar eclipse visible to the world until 2044.
What happens during a total solar eclipse?
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon shifts between the sun and Earth, blocking the face of the sun.
“People viewing the eclipse from locations where the Moon’s shadow completely covers the Sun – known as the path of totality – will experience a total solar eclipse. The sky will become dark, as if it were dawn or dusk,” a synopsis from NASA said.
More: It might shock you to learn when Austin’s last total solar eclipse was
Where is the 2024 solar eclipse path of totality in Texas?
According to TravelTexas, the path of totality will begin before 1:30 p.m. near Del Rio, TX, and trace a line northwest across the entire state. For those living in more remote areas like Hill Country, you can find viewing spots in places like Boerne, Bandera, or Kerrville.
More: Delta Air Lines is offering 2024 solar eclipse flight from Austin to Detroit
2024 solar eclipse watch parties
Major cities in Texas will have watch parties for this scientific event. For those planning to be outside for the eclipse, be sure to have weather-appropriate clothing, water, snacks, and camp chairs. It is highly recommended to bring a safe viewing option such as a pinhole viewer or ISO-12312-2 certified solar/eclipse glasses.
Here are some watch party locations:
- Hilton Austin (500 East 4th Street, Austin, TX) — Hilton Austin will have eclipse-themed cocktails and mocktails, as well as free eclipse viewing glasses on April 8. This event runs from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., and admission is free.
- Levy Event Plaza (501 E Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, TX) — Irving is offering a Total Eclipse in the Park Party. The event will feature food trucks, music and free eclipse glasses. The event is from noon to 3 p.m.
- Space Center Houston (1601 E NASA Parkway, Houston, TX) — The Space Center of Houston is having a three-day event April 6-8. The event includes eclipse glasses giveaway, eclipse and space expert lightning talks in Independence Plaza with emcee Gary Jordan of NASA’s “Houston We Have a Podcast,” and more. Tickets for that event can be purchased here.
- Dam 2024 Eclipse (507 Hi-Line Dr., Buchanan Dam, TX) — The event will feature presentations by scientists, eclipse glasses, and music. The event runs from noon to 3 p.m.
- The Alamo Eclipse Watch (300 Alamo Plaza San Antonio, TX) — Watch the total solar eclipse from the iconic Alamo at this free event with complimentary solar eclipse glasses. The event runs from noon to 3 p.m.
More: Some Texas schools are canceling classes for the solar eclipse on April 8. Is yours?
How to see the total solar eclipse safely
It is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. You could permanently damage your eyes.
Here are some safety tips provided by NASA:
- View the sun through eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer during the partial eclipse phases before and after totality.
- Although not recommended to watch the eclipse without specialized eye protection, it’s possible to view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection only when the moon completely obscures the sun’s bright face – during the brief and spectacular period known as totality. (You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer.)
- As soon as you see even a little bit of the bright sun reappear after totality, immediately put your eclipse glasses back on or use a handheld solar viewer to look at the sun.
Elon Musk’s electric car manufacturing company Tesla recently leased a 682,000-square-foot speculative industrial building in the Austin Hills Commerce Center.
The industrial building, which sits at 11801 Decker Lake Road, is set to be completed by January 2027. The project is helmed by Sansone Group and Principal Asset Management, and Musk’s Tesla is set to occupy the second phase of the development, according to reporting from the Austin Business Journal. The total size of the Austin Hills Commerce Center will be 1.4 million square feet when complete. It’s currently unclear what Tesla will utilize the space for.
The development highlights the increased demand for massive industrial buildings in the Austin area. According to the outlet, there are at least a dozen speculative buildings that span upwards of 400,000 square feet in various stages of development, from finished to the early planning phases.
Throughout the Austin Metro and across Texas, large swaths of real estate are rapidly becoming Musk’s playground. The world’s richest man has 2.2 million square feet of space around Austin on lease, and more than 10 million square feet that he owns and built.
The Musk company portfolio includes a reported 112,000-square-foot sublease at the Seaholm Power Plant in downtown for xAI and the airport-adjacent Gigafactory, which spans over 10 million square feet. A $20 billion Terafab campus, that would feature 2 million square feet for research and development, is in the planning stages.
Bastrop County is home to several Musk-owned business’ buildings, most of which are placed along country road FM 1209. Musk is also building an Optimus humanoid robot production facility near the Gigafactory. Musk’s companies have spanned the Austin area’s entire suburban space, from as far north as Taylor to as far south as Kyle.
Areas outside of Central Texas within the Musk companies include Cameron County, which is the home of Musk’s Starbase that functions as a manufacturing hub as well as the headquarters of SpaceX. The Starbase facility also includes the company’s primary launch site, which was recently relieved of local legal pressure centering around the company’s ability to shut down public Boca Chica Beach for launches.
— Hunter Cooke
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AUSTIN, Texas — THC products in Texas will once again be up for discussion during a hearing from state lawmakers today. The hearing will look at the health and public safety impacts of THC. This is the first step in deciding on potential changes to hemp laws when state lawmakers return to the Capitol in January. Currently, the state’s hemp industry remains in legal limbo. Retailers can legally sell many hemp-derived products, but the rules surrounding smokeable hemp like Delta-8 THC remain tied up in court.
Should Texas pass stricter or looser laws on THC products? ANSWER BELOW and see the results LIVE on CBS Austin This Morning from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — With the summer solstice in the rearview mirror, we are now losing about 20 – 30 seconds of daylight every day in Central Texas, adding up to around 20 – 30 minutes of daylight loss at the end of the month.
Sunrise in Central Texas on Monday [July 6] was at 6:35 a.m. and sunset is at 8:36 p.m. On July 31st, sunrise will be at 6:49 a.m. and sunset will be at 8:31 p.m.
We’ll continue to slowly lose daylight through the summer months, but accelerates in meteorological fall before the winter solstice on December 21st. So the gradual decline in daylight daily won’t do much to combat the extreme heat in the coming weeks.
At the end of August [31st], sunrise in Central Texas will be at 7:06 a.m. and sunset will be at 8:17 p.m. Cooler days are ahead, but not for a while.
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