Watch the eclipse with us!
The next solar eclipse in Tucson is a partial eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024! Locally, we will see about 75% of the Sun's diameter covered by the Moon. Gather your friends and hang out on the UA Mall outside Flandrau. Look out for solar telescopes nearby and feel free to take a break inside Flandrau (from 10AM to 2PM) and enjoy reduced science exhibit admission of only $5. Following the eclipse, there will be planetarium shows for only $5 per ticket.
Thank you Tucson Amatuer Astronomy Association for providing solar telescopes!
Tucson won't see comparable coverage from a solar eclipse like this for another 21 years in the year 2045.
Parking Info
Event parking will be available on the UA Mall for $5 (enter from Campbell Ave.) and the Cherry Garage for $2 an hour.
Eclipse Timeline for Tucson
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Partial solar eclipse begins |
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Max view (time when the maximum amount of the Sun's disk is covered) |
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Partial solar eclipse ends |
Schedule of Events
10AM - 12:30PM (free!)
Eclipse Viewing on the Mall
Bring a blanket or a chair to hang out on the UA Mall and view the eclipse with the community. Be on the lookout for solar telescopes and our staff and volunteers. ISO certified solar viewing glasses are available at Flandrau right now and during the event for only $2.
Thank you to Tucson Amatuer Astronomy Association for providing solar telescopes.
10AM - 12PM (free!)
Eclipse Livestream
Take a peek inside the planetarium to view a livestream of the eclipse and follow its path around the globe.
10AM - 2PM
$5 Science Exhibit Tickets
You can visit all our science exhibits for a special reduced rate of $5 per person! Explore our Solar System Revealed, Wild World of Bugs, and newest Undersea Discovery exhibits among many more!
12PM & 12:45PM
$5 Show: "Totality!"
SOLD OUT - Enjoy a full-dome film all about the science behind eclipse events. The planetarium show Totality! explores the amazing astronomical mechanics that produce eclipses and the allure of solar eclipses throughout history. Enjoy reduced, special event pricing for this engaging show! Advance tickets are $5.95 per person.
Buy Solar Viewing Glasses at Flandrau! Only $2!
Certified solar viewing glasses (with a fun Flandrau design and logo!) are available at Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium right now and during the eclipse event for $2. Proceeds support Tucson's only science center and planetarium. Please purchase at our location Tuesday-Sunday between 10AM and 5PM. Free, 10-minute pick-up parking spaces are available in our north parking lot.
Do you need to buy a large number of glasses for your class or group? Flandrau has bulk pricing of $1 each when you buy 20 or more.
TIP: During the eclipse event and depending on demand, an additional cash-only line may form and is typically faster than card payments for solar glasses. Singles ($1 bills) are encouraged.
Safety info: Flandrau solar viewing glasses are ISO certified and "conform to and meet the Transmission Requirements of ISO 12312-2, Filters for Direct Observation of the Sun."
Learn more about the eclipse from Tucson's perspective!
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. The Moon covers the Sun from our perspective, making it look like the Sun is disappearing. What makes a solar eclipse partial is that the line between the Earth, Moon, and Sun isn't perfectly straight. Because of this, part of the Sun stays visible, giving it the appearance of a crescent.
This eclipse will be total for viewers along a narrow path which starts in the south Pacific, then runs through Mexico, the U.S. from Texas to Maine, and southeastern Canada, and finally ends in the north Atlantic. Tucson is about 560 miles from this path, which is why we'll see a partial eclipse at this location.
From Tucson we will see about 75% of the Sun's diameter and 70% of the Sun's area covered by the Moon. Our next chance to see a solar eclipse will be in 2028, but only a small fraction of the Sun will be covered at that time. The next eclipse we'll see that's as good as this one, from Tucson, will be in 2045.
See NASA's overview of solar eclipse information.
More Tucson-specific info from Time & Date.
During a partial eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. Review these safety guidelines to prepare for Apr. 8, 2024.