Eclipse in the Ozarks: Your outdoor guide for an epic solar experience

IN-DEPTH

Talk about an out-of-this-world event. 

In just a month, on April 8, the path of a total solar eclipse will move across North America including 15 states with more than 31 million people. 

That includes a corner of southeast Missouri and a long swath across nearby Arkansas, where Ozarkers and tourists can experience the awe-inspiring moments when the moon completely blocks the sun, turning day into twilight. 

It’s the second total eclipse to occur near Springfield in seven years. After April 8, the next total eclipse to cross the contiguous United States won’t happen for 20 years, in 2044.

While Springfield misses the path of totality by less than 100 miles, our community will experience a 97.5% partial eclipse — compared to 96% in 2017.

Whether you watch the partial eclipse in Springfield or plan a road trip to see it in totality, here’s your guide to what you should know.

Moon shadow moving

Eclipse tourism is ramping up nationwide in communities along the path, and that includes lucky towns and cities in and near the Ozarks. In fact, the edge of the average 115-mile-wide total eclipse path can be reached from Springfield in less than two hours.

That’s totally doable for a day trip!

Because of its elliptical shape, the moon shadow created by the total eclipse will last the longest along the center of its path: 4 minutes, 28 seconds at its longest moment compared to 2 minutes, 42 seconds in 2017.

The longest duration of totality in Missouri — nearly 4 minutes, 13 seconds — will happen around the southern edge of the state. Missouri is also the first state reached by the 2024 total eclipse that was also on the path in 2017. 

The longest duration in Arkansas will be 4 minutes, 18 seconds near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border. The totality path runs more than 100 miles across Arkansas, including through its Ozarks region. 

Given the state’s central proximity to many large municipalities, Arkansas officials on Monday said they expect eclipse tourism to attract 300,000 to one million visitors.

“The 2024 solar eclipse has potential to be the largest tourism event in Arkansas’ history,” said Shea Lewis, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. That includes visitors to Arkansas state parks given that half of the state’s 52 parks are within the path of totality.

Many people have booked hotels or rentals for a day or more leading to the total eclipse. If that’s something you still hope to do, it may be difficult to find a place that won’t cost you half a paycheck — if you can find a place at all. Campgrounds and cabin rentals in eclipse-located state parks are full or nearly so. And many rentals in totality locations more than doubled their usual nightly fees for the days leading up to the eclipse. Hotel rooms are at premium prices too. 

Whether heading to southeast Missouri or south into Arkansas, it’s not too late to plan a total eclipse outing.

Watch the eclipse safely

Watching the eclipse takes more planning than simply designating a location. For the best, and safest, viewing experience, follow these tips from a variety of expert sites.

Purchase certified safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) for everyone in your viewing party before April 8. Be sure they meet the international safety standard of ISO12312-2 (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015). That designation should be printed on the glasses. These glasses — typically film lenses in a cardboard frame — reduce visible sunlight to safe levels and block nearly all solar UV and IR radiation.

Before arriving at your viewing location, write down times when the partial eclipse will start (“first contact”), the start and end of totality, and when the partial eclipse ends. (See our list of resources to find times). You must wear eclipse glasses or use a safe handheld solar viewer during all times of the partial eclipse and may only remove them during totality when you can no longer see any part of the sun.

If you plan to photograph the eclipse, purchase a solar filter for your camera and practice using it ahead of time. You will need solar filters for a telescope and binoculars, too. (It is not safe to use eclipse glasses over your device.)

Springfield’s partial eclipse experience

Springfield will experience a 97.5% eclipse — compared to 96% in 2017 — meaning the light will dim significantly but not darken as it would along the path of totality. 

According to timeanddate.com, the moment of first contact in Springfield will be 12:36 p.m., with the darkest moment at 1:54 p.m. The partial eclipse will end at 3:12 p.m. Altogether, the event will last two hours and 36 minutes.

For a community experience, consider viewing the partial eclipse at the Springfield Botanical Gardens in Nathanial Greene-Close Memorial Park (2400 S. Scenic Ave.). The Springfield-Greene County Park Board plans an eclipse-watching event between noon and 2 p.m. on the great lawn and at the Botanical Center building. The event is free; eclipse glasses will be sold for $2. For more information, contact Springfield Botanical Gardens at (417) 891-1515.

A partial eclipse will be an unusual event, but it doesn’t compare to a total eclipse. However, there are still interesting ways to enhance your experience. Look for crescent-shaped shadows under trees, created by “pinholes” of light from overlapping leaves. You can make those crescent shadows also using a colander, slotted spoon, hole-punched paper or by making a pinhole projector.

What to expect during a total eclipse

If you travel to a location along the path of totality, what will you experience?

A total eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun for a few minutes and causing a dark elliptical shadow. That shadow moves along a narrow section of the earth referred to as the path of totality. Locations along the path experience varying durations of totality based on where they are within the shadow.

“First contact” occurs when the moon appears to touch the sun and begins to slowly take a bigger and bigger bite — the partial eclipse leading to totality. As more and more of the sun becomes blocked, the temperature drops and light grows dimmer.

(Important: Eclipse glasses must be worn during all moments of the partial eclipse and may only be removed for the brief minutes of totality.)

About two-thirds of the way into the eclipse, the sky will become noticeably darker and may cause other atmospheric changes, including potentially increased wind. Insects and animals may start exhibiting nighttime behavior. You’ll notice sharpening shadows. And it’s possible faint waves of light may be visible along walls and the ground.

About 20 seconds before totality, the outer part of the sun — usually too bright to see — starts to become visible and a dark shadow begins to sweep in from the west. The nearly completely blocked sun exhibits “Baily’s beads” — shafts of light streaming through deep valleys on the sun. About 10 seconds before totality, you’ll see what’s known as the “diamond ring” — a circular ring of light with the last of the sun creating the “diamond.”

And then — totality! This is the only time it’s safe to briefly remove your eclipse glasses to see the sun’s corona glowing around the dark moon. (It helps to set a timer for the duration of your location.) You might even see some stars. Once totality ends, put your glasses back on to watch it all happen in reverse.

Of course, a clear view will depend on the weather. Clouds on April 8 could obscure the sun and the glowing corona at peak totality. However, you’ll still experience the awe-inspiring ground-level changes including sudden darkness. 

For total solar eclipse enthusiasts, a partial eclipse that’s “close” to totality is simply not close enough. According to the website operator at eclipse2024.org, “for those outside the path, there is no dramatic moment of totality … there is no pitch-blackened disk of the sun, no discernible temperature drop, no impossible nighttime during the day … and no lingering post-eclipse sensation of certainty that you have just experience one of the coolest things you’ll ever see in your life.”

Sony Hocklander

Sony Hocklander is a freelance journalist, video storyteller and photographer who produces creative content through her small solo business, Sony Hocklander Creative LLC. When she’s not telling community stories, she loves wandering the Ozarks outdoors with a camera in hand. You can follow her on Twitter @SonyHocklander and on Instagram @shocklander or email her at: sonyhocklander@gmail.com More by Sony Hocklander

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