ARKANSAS, USA — On April 8, 2024, viewers in many areas across Arkansas will have the opportunity to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event, a total solar eclipse.
As the sun, moon, and Earth line up perfectly the sun will get blocked by the moon and cast a dark shadow on a small sliver of our planet. During the middle of the afternoon, the skies will become darker, and strange things will happen as the sun disappears for a few minutes.
The narrow dark shadow of the moon will race across the country at over 1600 mph making the path of totality, which will travel over most of Arkansas. There is a world of difference in 95% coverage versus 100% coverage.
The path will move through several locations, like Texarkana, De Queen, and Arkadelphia, before making its way to Little Rock. Here's a look at which Arkansas cities are in the path of totality.
- Texarkana
- De Queen
- Arkadelphia
- Mena
- Hot Springs
- Danville
- Atkins
- Russellville
- Little Rock
- Conway
- Searcy
- Heber Springs
- Clinton
- Jasper
- Marshall
- Batesville
- Melbourne
- Mountain Home
- Pocahontas
- Jonesboro
- Piggott
Now we're only a week away from the historic event and preparations are still underway by many in the Natural State, which is expected to see an influx of visitors due to the total solar eclipse.
The spectacle has led to many schools in the state closing in observance, and several organizations in various cities holding special events revolving around eclipse viewing.
Even grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses in Arkansas are preparing for the influx of visitors, as the Arkansas Department of Transportation predicts that the Natural State could see anywhere between 300,000 to 1.5 million people visit the state on April 8 for the total solar eclipse.
The countdown continues to tick forward, so grab your eclipse glasses and find a special place to observe history!
For the complete list of exact times associated with the total solar eclipse, you can click here.