Editor's Note: Live coverage of the eclipse from the path of totality begins in the player above starting at 7 a.m. Tune in for live totality starting at 1:55 p.m.
The 2024 solar eclipse will bring an incredible spectacle to skies on Monday, marking a rare and historic moment in the U.S., but also in Illinois.
An eclipse like the one that will occur Monday, which will cover numerous populated areas and a wide swath of the United States, won't take to the skies again any time soon, and Americans are urged to see the spectacle if they can.
For everything from timing, to the path, to weather and more, here's a guide of what to expect on Monday.
What time will the eclipse take place in Illinois?
According to NASA scientists, the eclipse will take place in the afternoon hours across the North American continent, with the area of totality impacting areas in southern Illinois and central Indiana.
During a total solar eclipse, the new moon intersects the path of the sun in the sky, causing the sun to be partially and then nearly completely blocked from view.
At approximately 1:59 p.m., “totality” will begin in Carbondale, Illinois. During this time, stargazers in that area will be able to look at the eclipse without any aid whatsoever, with darkened skies and the famed “corona” blazing around the edges of the moon.
This period will not last for very long, as totality is expected to end at approximately 2:03 p.m., according to NASA scientists.
The partial eclipse will continue for another hour, ending at approximately 3:18 p.m.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
Where is the "path of totality?"
The eclipse's "path of totality" will start in Southwest Texas and move northeast.
The path of totality includes the southern tip of Illinois, central and southern Indiana and Indianapolis. From there, it will race across Cleveland, Ohio; Buffalo, New York and into Maine.
The below map from the Adler Planetarium shows what the eclipse will look like in Illinois, with Carbondale, Mount Vernon, Metropolis and Mount Carmel among the southern Illinois cities in the path of totality.
What is the forecast?
The Chicago area Monday will see "ideal conditions" for the total solar eclipse set to take place in the afternoon.
Those ideal conditions don't just include clear skies, the NBC 5 Storm Team said -- they also include temperatures that feel like early summer.
"It's not only fantastic because we have a solar eclipse," NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said. "It's also fantastic because we have 70s in the forecast."
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, early Monday morning for the Chicago area started out partly cloudy. As the sun came up, those clouds cleared, and it was expected to remain clear and mostly sunny into the afternoon.
Chicago is expected to see around 94% of totality Monday, according to experts. And while Indianapolis and Southern Illinois will see complete totality, the forecast in those parts isn't looking as bright, Roman said, with mostly-to-partly sunny skies expected, and clouds breaking at times.
Either way, Roman said, it will be warm.
According to Roman, Chicago is expected to see a high temperature Monday of 70 degrees, with some slightly cooler temperatures to the north. In Carbondale and Indianapolis, those temperatures are expected to be even higher, at 78 and 76 degrees respectively.
Around the time of the eclipse however, temperatures will drop a bit, Roman said. By 12 p.m. in the Chicago area, temperatures are expected to hit 65 degrees, Roman said. Around 2 p.m. -- when the eclipse is expected to be visible -- temperatures will drop slightly, to 63 degrees.
Around 4 p.m. is when temperatures will hit 70, Roman said.
Do you need special glasses to see it?
According to the Adler Planetarium, viewing the solar eclipse without proper eyewear can result in irreversible eye damage within seconds, and as your eyes lack the nerve endings to register pain as it's occurring.
What's more, your pupils will be more dilated as the eclipse occurs, allowing more harmful rays to enter your eyes than on a normal sunny day.
Regular sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe to view the eclipse.
With the danger of irreversible eye damage present in the event of viewing the eclipse unprotected, it's critical to ensure that the solar eclipse glasses used are not counterfeit.
But there's no real way to detect real glasses versus counterfeit ones just by looking at them.
"The glasses if they're counterfeit, they may appear fine, because maybe they're dark enough that you can that it appears like you can safely look at the sun. But what you don't know is are they letting through ultraviolet and infrared light. That's the thing that I would worry about the most," Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium said.
Detecting real vs. fake becomes even more challenging when companies tout unproven or inaccurate safety claims.
ALERT: Some solar eclipse glasses have been recalled. Here's what to know
"Just be careful and don't just assume just because it says safe glasses that that they actually are because anyone can write that," she said.
If you’re still wondering how to tell if your glasses will give you the right protection, here’s a trick, according to experts:
“When you wear the glasses, you should not be able to see anything," Dr. Nina Goyal, an ophthalmologist with Rush University Medical Center told NBC Chicago. "It is a flexible resin with carbon particles infused, the only thing you should be able to see out of these is the orange glow of the sun. Don't use sunglasses, don't layer sunglasses, and don't use smoked glass."
Experts suggest purchasing solar eclipse glasses through suppliers deemed "safe" by the American Astronomical Society.
The society's list offers links to "selected suppliers of solar viewers and filters that you can be confident are safe when used properly."
"These include companies and organizations with which members of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force have had good experience as well as other companies and organizations that have demonstrated to our satisfaction that the products they're selling meet the safety requirements of the ISO 12312-2 international standard," the list states.
The society notes, however, that its list is not exhaustive, and glasses not listed on the site could still be safe. They do not recommend using Amazon, eBay, Temu or other online marketplaces to find lowest-priced options.
"Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page," the society states.
Here are the key take-aways for finding legitimate eclipse glasses:
- When buying eclipse glasses, look for an approved manufacturer on the astronomical society’s website and make sure the glasses have the numbers iso 1-2-3-1-2- 2 printed on the inside.
- You can find the list of Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters here.
- If you still have your glasses from the 2017 eclipse, you might be able to reuse them. But that's only if they aren’t bent, torn, or scratched.
Some museums and stores in the Chicago area are also offering free solar eclipse glasses and viewers while supplies last.
- Solar filters: If you want to use a telescope, binoculars or camera, do not use them unprotected even if you have safe eclipse glasses. Consult the manufacturer for a proper filter to attach to your device.
- Pinhole viewer: This is a simple, inexpensive way to indirectly view the eclipse. Just take two sheets of white paper (card stock is best) and poke a hole in the middle of one sheet. With your back to the sun, hold the sheet with the hole over the other sheet and adjust them until you see a dot of light. That's the sun! As the moon travels across the sun, a crescent will appear.
How can you watch it live?
If you're not in the path of totality for the 2024 total solar eclipse Monday, you don't have to miss the historic moment.
There will be plenty of sights to see and ways to watch totality, whether you're simply looking up at the sky (with proper eyewear) or tuning in online or on television.
Details on how to stream the eclipse live.
Why is this solar eclipse special?
Jeanes called the event "the greatest solar eclipse across the U.S. in our lifetime."
For those who remember 2017, it might not seem like the 2024 solar event is all that rare, but according to experts -- it is.
Not only is the path of totality for the solar eclipse in the U.S., it will track through Carbondale in sourthern Illinois once again, marking a repeat from 2017. And for those in the Chicago area, the near-total eclipse will mark the closest the area will have to totality in decades.
"The solar eclipses that are going to occur, for the most part, that are going to be visible in our area after this one will not be to the extent that this one is," Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium, told NBC Chicago. "So we're going to see 94% of the sun covered and pretty much all of them in the next several decades in our area won't feature the sun covered at 94%. So if you want to see that, this is going to be your last chance for quite a while."
"This might be the most-watched solar eclipse ever," Nichols added.
Adding to the excitement, a “devil comet” known for its occasional outbursts is currently visible in the night sky, and lucky stargazers may even be able to spot the celestial object during the solar eclipse, according to NBC News.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was nicknamed the "devil comet" because an eruption last year left it with two distinct trails of gas and ice in the shape of devil horns.
The comet may be visible to the naked eye as it swings through the inner solar system and reaches its closest point to the sun in mid-April.
When is the next solar eclipse if you miss this one?
In terms of solar eclipses in the continental U.S., another total eclipse won’t take place for more than 20 years, with a 2044 eclipse occurring in North and South Dakota, among other locations.
A 2045 eclipse will be visible across a wide swath of the central and southeastern United States, but won’t impact Illinois and Indiana.
There are annular eclipses visible in Illinois in 2048 and 2093, but those eclipses don’t cover the same amount of the sun because of the moon’s distance from Earth, and thus aren’t able to be viewed with the naked eye.
According to NASA, the next total solar eclipse that will be visible in Illinois won’t occur until Sept. 14, 2099. That eclipse will be visible in northeastern Illinois, including the city of Chicago, as well as parts of Wisconsin, including Madison, Milwaukee and Kenosha.
On May 1, 2079, a total solar eclipse will give residents of Philadelphia, New York and Boston an incredible spectacle, according to NASA.
Are schools closed for the solar eclipse?
Dozens of schools across Illinois have announced plans to close for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8.
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, more than 70 school districts in the state have listed a "not in attendance" day on April 8.
The closures come as many cities, particularly those in the path of totality, prepare to navigate unprecedented traffic and crowds. Many are also closing to offer families a chance to witness what could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience together.
The state's board of education said while many will not have kids in school, it does not encourage schools to use e-learning days for the event.
"While e-learning is a valid option for educational continuity, districts have been advised against preemptively declaring such days in anticipation of the solar eclipse," the board told NBC Chicago in a statement. "The purpose of e-learning days is to replace emergency closure days. The foreseeable increase in traffic or other anticipated challenges preceding the solar eclipse does not meet the criteria of an emergency that warrants an e-learning day."
