Solar eclipse 2024 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Where to get free glasses
ASHEVILLE — The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is providing visitors with an opportunity to gaze at the April 8 solar eclipse through special protective glasses and receive free information from park staff about the rare celestial event, which won't occur in the U.S. again for the next 20 years.
On April 8, temporary darkness will fall upon a swath of the U.S. stretching from Texas to Maine, as the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth, creating a total eclipse.
Though the Great Smokies and the rest of Western North Carolina lay outside what's called the "path of totality," park visitors will experience 86% to 87% obstruction of the sun during the event — what's known as a partial eclipse.
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In the national park, the moon will begin intersecting with the sun's orbit at 1:49 p.m. and will reach its maximum obstruction at 3:08 p.m., according to a news release from the park. The celestial event will conclude at 4:23 p.m.
Park staff and volunteers will provide a safe, facilitated viewing and eclipse information at the following locations from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.:
Newfound Gap parking lot
Outside the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at 1194 Newfound Gap Road near Cherokee
At various locations around Cades Cove Loop Road, including near the John Oliver Cabin and at the Cades Cove Overlook
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Viewing an eclipse without protective eyewear can cause severe eye injury or blindness. To prevent injury, eclipse watchers should use solar eclipse glasses ISO rated 12,312.
Park staff will provide one free pair of eclipse glasses per group at these viewing locations while supplies last. Smokies Life, the park's retail partner, will have solar eclipse glasses available for $1.50 each at park store locations.
For anyone looking to earn a Junior Ranger Eclipse Explorer badge, a Junior Ranger Eclipse activity book will be available for free at the viewing locations.
More: View 2024's solar eclipse in Asheville-area dark sky certified park; one of the only in NC
Other outdoor centers hosting eclipse viewing events:
The Nantahala Outdoor Center will host multiple viewing opportunities with glasses during rafting and mountain zip line activities. With a 88% partial eclipse, the event lasts from 1p.m.-5p.m. April 8, with tickets ranging from $79-$139, according to the Nantahala Outdoor Center website.
Grandfather Mountain will be hosting an April 8 event from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. where viewers can enjoy the eclipse in a designated area. The first 100 guests will receive a pair of solar eclipse glasses for free with admission. Tickets can be bought at grandfather.com/tickets.
View the April 8 eclipse at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, or PARI, in Transylvania County, to learn more about eclipse research, astronomical artifacts and more during PARI's all day event. The ticket price is $40 for children 12 and under and $80 for adults.
There are plenty of other educational opportunities and events being held in Asheville and WNC for eclipse viewers to participate in, including at breweries, local colleges and the North Carolina Arboretum. We've compiled a few in a list of what you should know heading into April 8.
Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Solar eclipse 2024 viewing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
