DENVER (KDVR) – The upcoming total solar eclipse in April is expected to go across the nation, but Colorado won’t see full coverage.
The good news is that Colorado will eventually be in the path of totality for a total solar eclipse. The bad news is that it won’t be for the next 21 years.
Total solar eclipse in 2024
A total solar eclipse occurs every couple of years when the moon completely covers the sun, causing a shadow over a sliver of the Earth, which is known as a total solar eclipse.
The total solar eclipse is taking place on April 8, 2024.
This year, the moon will be closer to Earth than it was during the 2017 event, creating a wider path of totality. However, Colorado isn’t in that path.
Path of total solar eclipse (Courtesy: Ernest Wright/NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio)
While Denver will see about 65% of the full coverage in April, another total solar eclipse’s path is crossing right through Colorado – but not anytime soon.
When Colorado will see full coverage in total solar eclipse
FOX31 spoke with NASA, which confirmed that the next total solar eclipse where Colorado is in the path of totality is on Aug. 12, 2045.
Right now, NASA only has a basic map of the path of the totality of the eclipse. Here’s the expected path that goes across the U.S.:
Path of totality across the nation for the total solar eclipse in 2045, courtesy of NASA.
According to the preliminary map, most of Colorado will be in the path of totality.
While Colorado still has many years to go before being in the path of totality, the total solar eclipse coming up goes across many states, including Maine, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas.
