Metro
solar eclipse 2024

What time to watch the solar eclipse in Connecticut

By
Social Links for Alyssa Guzman
Published April 8, 2024, 5:55 a.m. ET

The eclipse is coming to New England.

While Connecticut isn’t in the path of totality for Monday’s rare celestial phenomena, those in the state will still be in for quite a treat as at the event’s peak roughly 92% of the sun will be obscured by the moon as it passes between Earth and the sun.

In the Nutmeg State, the eclipse will start around 2:11 p.m. and last until 4:36 p.m., according to NASA.

The weather for the New England area looks favorable for eclipse viewing, with only a small amount of clouds expected in the area.

Although Connecticut is not in the path of totality, the total eclipse can be viewed two states away, in northern Vermont.

The rare celestial phenomena won’t happen again in the region until 2079.

A kid viewing the solar eclipse.
For those in the Connecticut area, the event will start around 2:11 p.m. and last until 4:36 p.m., and at its peak, viewers will see nearly 91% totality. Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Best time to view the eclipse in Connecticut?

Much like the rest of the metro-area, 3:25 p.m. is the prime time to see the partial eclipse.

The entire phenomena starts at 2:11 p.m., and roughly half the sun will be covered by the moon at 2:52 p.m., before peaking roughly 30 minutes later with 92% coverage.

Viewers in Connecticut will have until 4:36 p.m. to sneak outside to catch the tail end of the eclipse.

A map of the path of totality.
The entire phenomena starts at 2:11 p.m., and roughly half the sun will be covered by the moon at 2:52 p.m., before shitting its peak roughly 30 minutes later. NASA

Where can you view the eclipse?

There are plenty of places to hang out with others to watch the rare event, including Yale University’s Observatory and Planetarium in New Haven.

Everything to know about the 2024 solar eclipse

  • The solar eclipse will take place Monday, April 8, blocking the sun for over 180 million people in its path.
  • The eclipse will expand from Mexico’s Pacific Coast across North America, hitting 15 US states and pulling itself all the way to the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
  • New Yorkers will experience the solar eclipse just after 2 p.m. Monday.
  • A huge explosion on the sun, known as a coronal mass ejection, is anticipated, according to experts. This happens when massive particles from the sun are hurled out into space, explains Ryan French of the National Solar Observatory in Boulder, Colorado.
  • To avoid serious injury to the eyes, it is necessary to view the event through proper eyewear like eclipse glasses, or a handheld solar viewer, during the partial eclipse phase before and after totality.
  • The next total solar eclipse will take place on Aug. 12, 2026, and totality will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small slice of Portugal. 

The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford is also throwing a viewing party between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The event does require tickets, with an adult costing $27.99 and $19.99 for a child, according to its website.

Mystic Seaport Museum’s Treworgy Planetarium is offering free activities and glasses for the eclipse.

Imagination Nation in Bristol is also hosting a party from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Bristol. Visitors will get two hours of self exploration on the second and third levels of the museum and be able to view the celestial event on their patio. General admission cost $12.51, according to the listing.

Solar eclipse glasses.
It might be tempting to look at the sun without protective eyewear due to the darkness, but optometrists warn against it, saying they typically see more patients complaining of blind spots or blurry vision after the stunning phenomena. Getty Images

Where to get free solar eclipse glasses?

Many local libraries are offering free glasses to the public, and all Warby Parker stores are offering them too.

This isn’t a lunar eclipse, so viewers are urged to wear special eclipse glasses, which often look like 3D movie theater glasses.

Optometrists warn against looking at the sun without the protective eyewear during periods of eclipse darkness, however tempting it may be, saying they typically see more patients complaining of blind spots or blurry vision after the stunning phenomena.