Partial Solar Eclipse of March 29, 2025

[7/8]

Did anyone try (successfully or not) to see the March 29 partial solar eclipse? This one was visible in most of the northeast US, eastern Canada, most of Europe, and northwest Africa (weather permitting):


I was on a 4-day trip to Halifax, NS this past weekend to visit family and we decided to start the trip a few days earlier to be there for Saturday morning's sunrise eclipse. My mom and I watched the eclipse from the IKEA parking lot in Dartmouth as it sits high up with a good view of the east horizon, and we could watch it from inside the car. Four other cars had the same idea.

The eclipse started at 7am (sunrise) with the maximum 83% eclipse at 7:17. Unfortunately a large cloud covered the sun around 7:20 and after waiting about 10 minutes, we decided to leave as it didn't look like the cloud would go away. Still, considering the often cloudy weather in Halifax and the sun being right above the horizon, I know we were lucky to see it at all!

This was our view overlooking NS 102 and Charles Lake right before sunrise, with the large cloud just far enough to the right!


After about 20 minutes, the sun rose into the large cloud blocking the remaining action:


The photo I tried taking through my eclipse glasses was awful, so here's one from Wikipedia which shows how it looked in Halifax near maximum:


And this is a series of photos over the water from Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/halifax/comments/1jmkuug/solar_eclipse_at_sunrise/

It's certainly not as cool as a total solar eclipse, but was still worth getting up early for. I'm currently planning on visiting Spain in August 2026 to see my third totality (if the weather cooperates!). It feels like a long wait though and I'm impatient.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I did observe it from my position, only about 30% of the sun was covered at about 11:47 CET (DST here didn't start until the following night). I'm also waiting for the eclipse next year, as I live just outside the path of totality.

[SectorZ]

Massachusetts was in dense overcast that morning so not for me. I guess after seeing the total one just under a year ago I'm OK with missing this one.

[vdeane]

It was cloudy here, so not even worth attempting.  Not that I even still have my useless eclipse glasses.  Amazed that some people have seen multiple totalities given that I still have yet to see one (despite trying - I'm still salty about that, especially as I don't think I'll have another chance; also, somehow every single person I know who actually cares about seeing one has managed to see one, and I'm the odd person out somehow).  How do people even do that?  If last year's eclipse made anything clear (metaphorically - literally was the exact opposite), it's that we still have no ability to forecast cloud cover even an hour in advance with anything resembling reliability.  How does anyone plan around that, especially with the crush of traffic from other people trying to see the eclipse making travel plan changes seemingly impossible (well, at least for someone like me who plans everything within 15-30 minutes weeks in advance and doesn't know how to do anything spur of the moment)?  This is especially the case because I've never done overseas travel before, and I don't have 2-3 weeks to take off work for an organized tour (especially as these next two total eclipses are in August, one of my busy seasons at work, and even if it wasn't, I already use practically all my time on family-related trips; I'd probably have to transfer to a different regional office if I wanted to have more time available; also, I haven't flown since I was a year old, and I have no idea how anyone deals with the travel disruptions that seem to be inevitable when flying anywhere).

[7/8]

If last year's eclipse made anything clear (metaphorically - literally was the exact opposite), it's that we still have no ability to forecast cloud cover even an hour in advance with anything resembling reliability.

For Ontario, the cloud forecast seemed reasonably accurate the morning of, and not too bad the night before. The night before, I planned on driving down to Leamington (close to Michigan) as that had the best outlook within the province. But the morning forecast showed clear skies (or only high clouds which have negligible effect on the eclipse) up to about Port Dover, so I settled on Port Stanley instead (about half the driving distance). Niagara looked bad for days before the eclipse, but unfortunately multiple people in my office still went there anyway and they missed seeing the totality.

How does anyone plan around that, especially with the crush of traffic from other people trying to see the eclipse making travel plan changes seemingly impossible (well, at least for someone like me who plans everything within 15-30 minutes weeks in advance and doesn't know how to do anything spur of the moment)?

Unfortunately chasing eclipses requires flexibility and a willingness to drive far away on a short notice if weather turns south, with maybe rare exceptions of eclipses in very sunny regions (ex: 2027 in Egypt or 2028 in Western Australia). If you're willing to travel within the US, the 2044 and 2045 eclipses could be good opportunities (I think the 2033 one in western Alaska will be prohibitively expensive for most people).

On a separate tangent, it bothers me how often the news and internet will tell people to never look at an eclipse with the naked eye. A work colleague missed most of totality because they were afraid to look at it with the eclipse glasses, not realizing that you have to take them off to see it! I wish they did a better job explaining it to people beforehand.

[Road Hog]

The totality I saw almost a year ago was pretty awesome, but I won't be geeky enough to go race to see the next one.

[Rothman]

It was cloudy here, so not even worth attempting.  Not that I even still have my useless eclipse glasses.  Amazed that some people have seen multiple totalities given that I still have yet to see one (despite trying - I'm still salty about that, especially as I don't think I'll have another chance; also, somehow every single person I know who actually cares about seeing one has managed to see one, and I'm the odd person out somehow).  How do people even do that?  If last year's eclipse made anything clear (metaphorically - literally was the exact opposite), it's that we still have no ability to forecast cloud cover even an hour in advance with anything resembling reliability.  How does anyone plan around that, especially with the crush of traffic from other people trying to see the eclipse making travel plan changes seemingly impossible (well, at least for someone like me who plans everything within 15-30 minutes weeks in advance and doesn't know how to do anything spur of the moment)?  This is especially the case because I've never done overseas travel before, and I don't have 2-3 weeks to take off work for an organized tour (especially as these next two total eclipses are in August, one of my busy seasons at work, and even if it wasn't, I already use practically all my time on family-related trips; I'd probably have to transfer to a different regional office if I wanted to have more time available; also, I haven't flown since I was a year old, and I have no idea how anyone deals with the travel disruptions that seem to be inevitable when flying anywhere).

For the last totality, I assumed, correctly, that cloud cover would be an issue in upstate NY -- would have just watched it from our balcony if weather wasn't a major concern.  Flew out to San Antonio, Texas, with the intention of staying in Rocksprings, TX the night before the eclipse.  Checked the weather the day before and found that clearer skies were predicted for more northerly Texas (don't do pinpoint forecasts, but see where the fronts/clouds are predicted).  Arranged to drive three hours to Goldthwaite, where the weather was indeed perfect.  Traffic is not bad prior to the eclipse and, with planning, you can just be in busier-than-normal traffic rather than horrendous traffic (i.e., not going to the exact point of greatest eclipse/extent, which gets you mere seconds more of totality anyway -- also, stay rural).

Disruptions while flying aren't inevitable; they're just not surprising when they do happen.  Just have to accept the additional time and monetary cost, make necessary phone calls and sometimes, accept that your sightseeing goals have been altered by circumstance.  That said, I know that for a lot of roadgeeks, flexibility is unnatural.  Truth is, it's the very slim minority of humanity in general that find flexibility totally natural. I find it comes with experience, to some degree.

I'm actually finding the most frequently inconvenient aspect of flying to be playing footsie with the idiot in front of me with the too-huge carry on in front of them under the seat, causing them to put their feet where my feet are supposed to go.  So far, I'm undefeated.

For longer trips, I also check a bag, unlike those that'll bring two huge carry-ons on the plane.  I timed how long it took for me to stand up on the plane, walk to the baggage claim and then out to the car on this past trip: 20 minutes.  I'll "pay" 20 minutes to be unburdened walking around airports, more comfortable on the plane and whatever else.

[1995hoo]

The August 2027 solar eclipse will pass directly over Mecca. That would be exceptionally cool to see, but they won't let me travel there to view it.

[Rothman]

The August 2027 solar eclipse will pass directly over Mecca. That would be exceptionally cool to see, but they won't let me travel there to view it.

Convert.

[vdeane]

For the last totality, I assumed, correctly, that cloud cover would be an issue in upstate NY -- would have just watched it from our balcony if weather wasn't a major concern.  Flew out to San Antonio, Texas, with the intention of staying in Rocksprings, TX the night before the eclipse.

Oddly enough, I-81 east had better viewing than Texas, even though the western part of the state had the better climatic data.  In hindsight, I would have booked a hotel in Plattsburgh or Burlington a year before.  With slightly less hindsight, I'd have stayed home and just day tripped to Frontier Town that morning (especially as the Northway only got as bad as the Thruway on holiday weekend before the eclipse, and leaving immediately after on the southernmost part of the path would have beat the return traffic), but I had no idea how I would occupy my time in the several hours waiting for the eclipse (honestly, I still don't; "relaxing" really isn't in my vocabulary).  It also doesn't help that WROC's meteorologist was lying through his teeth about the cloud forecasts (and this isn't the only time where I've said "Cap was right, Snitil was wrong" about Rochester's weather; the fact that I can get a more accurate Rochester forecast from Albany is just sad).

(don't do pinpoint forecasts, but see where the fronts/clouds are predicted)

Any recommendations?  I normally use WTEN's radar, but they don't have a future clouds layer.

Unfortunately chasing eclipses requires flexibility and a willingness to drive far away on a short notice if weather turns south

Yeah, I'd probably need to be traveling with someone else who is good at thinking on their feet and ideally have them drive for this to work.  Unfortunately, as much as I love driving, I find it exhausting, so trips tend to be a balancing act of how much driving I do and how much time I have just sitting around doing my usual internet checks (like this forum).  I suspect it's because I have ADHD and driving requires that I maintain focus for long periods of time (and, in fact, driving is probably the only time my normally racing thoughts are actually calm).  I did four hours of driving on Saturday to scout out the Brattleboro meet and even though I didn't get up particularly early on either weekend day, I've still be spending this entire week feeling so exhausted that I feel like I've been run over by a freight train.  And this has only been getting worse as I've gotten older.  I'd love to drive to Reno in 2045 for the eclipse, but I'm not sure if I'll still have it in me to do long trips like that.  And flexibility (and dealing with traffic) only gets harder when hotel chaining is an issue.  The most realistic path would probably be to take discretionary leave for the year and spend it traveling around the country, assuming I don't even up using my once a career discretionary leave option for something else (a coworker actually used it as job security for taking a position at FHWA, which both saved her and screwed her over when her job was axed by DOGE and then subsequently restored by the courts).

[1995hoo]

The August 2027 solar eclipse will pass directly over Mecca. That would be exceptionally cool to see, but they won't let me travel there to view it.

Convert.

People I know who have been there tell me it's not quite that easy if you're from the US. There are other countries where you basically just go to an imam and recite the Shahada and you get a Saudi visa, but apparently the Saudis put much tighter restrictions on visas issued to US citizens.

What would have really been something would have been if the August 2027 eclipse coincided with the Hajj, but it won't. The Hajj that year will be in mid-May. Imagine the photo opportunities with millions of pilgrims underneath a total solar eclipse.

[jeffandnicole]

It was cloudy here, so not even worth attempting.  Not that I even still have my useless eclipse glasses.  Amazed that some people have seen multiple totalities given that I still have yet to see one (despite trying - I'm still salty about that, especially as I don't think I'll have another chance; also, somehow every single person I know who actually cares about seeing one has managed to see one, and I'm the odd person out somehow).  How do people even do that?  If last year's eclipse made anything clear (metaphorically - literally was the exact opposite), it's that we still have no ability to forecast cloud cover even an hour in advance with anything resembling reliability...

I felt much the same. For me, there's been a number of celestial happenings over the past year I've missed because of just really bad timing with clouds. For the total eclipse, while I was not in totality I was in the 90% coverage area. Light clouds became heavy clouds as the eclipse started...then lightened up as the eclipse ended. Even 10 miles away had better viewing results.

There were a few other unusual high profile events that I missed as well due to similar circumstances.

So yeah, it's disappointing. It's depressing. For many, they don't understand why...But for most of them, they did experience it so they didn't have that letdown after quite a bit of hype and discussion of the event.

[english si]

I had about a third of the sun covered by the moon where I was. It was blue skies and everything. But unless you sought it out it wasn't noticeable. I didn't even see pictures in the media (inc social) of it, despite being a pretty rare event, especially at that level in the UK).

But 80-90%, and it's a different ball game, even if 100% is really dramatic and a different ball game again (in 1999, it got darker than even if it was overcast, and I could see on the paper I set up, the sun with a big bite out of it), I had 88%, but the stuff from 100% on the news was stunning). I get that next year (perhaps why no one was that bothered by the 4th best eclipse in the UK in the last 25 years).