Total Solar Eclipse 2024

Total Solar Eclipse

Cowansville, Quebec - April 08 2024

After witnessing the 2017 total solar eclipse, I knew that I'd absolutely have to view another one, and 7 years later, the opportunity came.

There had been quite a lot of variability in the weather forecast, with lots of clouds forecast at many points along the path of totality, but Quebec was one place that seemed to be consistently in the clear on every forecast model run, so that was going to be my target... Plus I'd now have the chance to chase an eclipse in my home country.

The eclipse was as epic as I had expected. It really is one of the most awe inspiring sights a person can behold.

Joining me on this adventure was journalist & videographer Cindy Burgess. Many thanks to her for helping out and making the long trip more fun.


The path of the eclipse across Mexico, the U.S.A and Canada.	The partial phase of the eclipse as the moon starts to cover the sun. Look closely and you'll see a few sun spots. We are currently near the peak of the sun's 11 year solar cycle, so sun spots have been common recently.	Totality! The clouds managed to stay away. Note the red prominences.A solar prominence (also known as a filament) is a large, bright feature extending outward from the Sun’s surface. Prominences are anchored to the Sun’s surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere. Each one is many times the size of Earth!


The corona around the sun and the "Diamond Ring" shape that happens in the first (and last) few seconds of the eclipse as the sun starts to peek out around the moon again.	During the partial phases of the eclipse, pinhole shadows take on the crescent shape of the sun. This can be easily seen with a household colander.	A wider shot of the eclipse overlooking Lac Davignon on the north side of the town of Cowansville, Quebec.


I had enough time to get a quick shot of myself with the flag of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society at the peak of the eclipse.	We managed to get a hotel in Montreal the night before the eclipse, despite the extreme demand. This map shows fully booked Air B&B's across North America during the eclipse.	A time lapse video of the view from space, looking down as the shadow of the moon crosses North America.


Our location in the path of totality.	Yes, I had a lot of cameras set up.	At our location, we experienced 3 minutes & 23 seconds of totality.


I still had my eclipse glasses left over form the 2017 solar eclipse I watched in Tennessee.	Getting the cameras ready to go.	As we pulled into our viewing spot, we noticed we had a flat time. There wasn't much time to deal with it before the eclipse.


My new best friend, Scott from New Hampshire helped me out with getting the flat tire off the wheel flange. It was stuck on there so tight that we only got it off after Scott pounded it with a garden edging stone from a nearby house.	After the eclipse we went to a few places in town, and was finally able to get some help from the awesome folks at the Denis Allard Garage.	The thin cirrus clouds that I had been worried about for the eclipse ended up making for a nice display of a Sun Dog in the sky as we started our long drive back home.


The ride home was a long one (I got home to Toronto at 1 AM) but it was totally worth it. The sun gave us one last treat with a nice sunset.