Texas is about to feel like the center of the universe.
In the next six months, Texas will be the only state with visibility of two solar eclipses. The first, an annular solar eclipse, will take place on Saturday, October 23. It will be a nice warm-up act to the highly anticipated total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
And while people all over Texas may be able to view these rare celestial phenomenons, Texas Highways recommends traveling to Hill Country (Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Uvalde, and Bandera) for the best chances of gazing upward and easily enjoying the eclipses. Sky viewing from more remote areas, that is, places without much light pollution or development, is ideal, and there are plenty of highways throughout Hill Country to take skygazers out of the main stretch of town and into a remote viewing area.
Eclipse chasers can also visit the Texas Eclipse viewing map for details and simulations of the upcoming eclipses. Calculations for over 480 Texas towns also help show the times when the eclipse will begin to come into view, from 10:16am in Bledsoe until 10:26 a.m. in Turcotte.
As with all solar eclipses, eye protection is necessary when looking directly at the eclipse, and looking through a telescope, binoculars or other device can be dangerous to your vision. NASA recommends making your own eye protection as a fun pre-eclipse craft, or plenty of eclipse viewing glasses are also for sale online, and likely in towns promoting eclipse viewing.
Plenty of eclipse-themed celebrations will take place all over Texas the weekend of the 14th. In San Antonio, an official eclipse viewing party will be held at The Alamo, starting at 10am and the San Antonio Zoo will also be hosting a day of eclipse events. SeaWorld San Antonio has its own festivities, as does the Floresville Peanut Festival. Come April, an immersive Texas Eclipse Festival is being held in Burnett, with live performance, art, speakers and more.