The solar eclipse is upon us.
As the day progresses and the 2024 celestial event crosses into Illinois, the Journal Star will provide coverage from the path of totality — where the effect is greatest — to the partial eclipse seen elsewhere in the state and the country.
Peoria Riverfront Museum has thousands in attendance for solar eclipse
As of 10 am there were already 1,700 people assembled in the Riverfront Museum's Sun Plaza preparing to view the eclipse, said Kara Cutting, the museum's creative director. By 12:40, Cutting had welcomed hundreds of people as they climbed the stairs onto the plaza.
"It's been very festive. Everyone is having a good time," she said.
With a warm sunny day, eclipse viewers in Peoria are likely going to have a better view than many who traveled to the path of totality.
-Leslie Renken, Peoria Journal Star
Festivities underway at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale
Robert Dennis, a Southern Illinois University grad, was a post-production supervisor for the "Star Wars" movies. He was in Saluki Stadium on Monday running cameras for the eclipse show.
With clear skies overhead as of noon, a dance troupe is out on the football turf dancing to Aquarius' "Let the Sunshine In." The wind is picking up at Saluki Stadium, where a giant ball depicting the sun, tethered to the turf at the 50-yard-line, is attempting to gain first-down yardage.
-Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star
Some eclipse glasses sold in Illinois are recalled
Double check your eclipse glasses before staring at the sun today. Some glasses sold in Illinois have been recalled due to ineffectiveness at protecting the eye from the sun.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is urging people to check their glasses and make sure they are not among those that have been recalled.
Recalled glasses were sold on Amazon as "Biniki Solar Eclipse Glasses AAS Approved 2024 – CE & ISO Certified Safe Shades for Direct Sun Viewing (6 Packs)."
They were also sold at the following southern Illinois retailers:
Farm Fresh Market, Breese, IL
Highland Tru Buy, Highland, IL
Perry County Marketplace, Pinckneyville, IL
Sinclair Foods, Jerseyville, IL
Steelville Marketplace, Steelville, IL
Big John Grocery, Metropolis, IL
Still need eclipse glasses? Here's where to look
The Peoria Public Library is giving away eclipse glasses for free and grocery stores like Walmart, Kroger and HyVee have the glasses for sale as does hardware retailers Menards and Lowe's.
Cracker Barrel restaurant is also selling eclipse glasses.
The Peoria Riverfront museum, Chillicothe Public Library and Fondulac District Library also carry eclipse glasses. At this point, you should try to call ahead before you make the drive anywhere.
More: Where can I get eclipse glasses? What to know about special eyewear on April 8
NASA teams, 50,000 people in Carbondale for solar eclipse
CARBONDALE – SIU-Carbondale officials were joined by teams from NASA and Chicago's Adler Planetarium for a 7 a.m. news conference Monday ahead of the eclipse.
They expect 200,000 to 300,000 people to flood the region today for viewing of the totality, with a projected 50,000 in Carbondale – roughly double the town's population.
Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at Adler Planetarium, will co-host an eclipse show in Saluki Stadium.
"Thousands of people are here today to see this eclipse, feel the temperature drop, and feel the overall excitement and hear the reactions of everyone around them," she said. "This is a multi-sensory experience involving the sun, the moon, and you.
"It involves one single action: Looking up."
NASA is sending up a pair of balloons and deploying some aircraft at high altitude to study the corona during totality.
-Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star
What will the weather be for Monday's solar eclipse in Illinois?
Monday's weather forecast is a dose of great news for Illinoisans hoping to see the solar eclipse on Monday.
The National Weather Service in Lincoln, Ill. tweeted Monday that most of Illinois will have favorable viewing conditions, adding that only thin, high clouds are expected in the path of totality.
A total solar eclipse will occur today, and parts of SE Illinois are in the path of totality. This will be the last total eclipse in the contiguous US for nearly two decades. Some thin, high clouds will be in place, but most of Illinois should have fair viewing conditions. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/EQafAo7Ddr
— NWS Lincoln IL (@NWSLincolnIL) April 8, 2024
What to know about the eclipse
During a totalsolar eclipse, the moon appears the same size as the sun and blocks the latter.The daytime darkness will last a few minutes within the path of totality — where the effect of the eclipse is greatest. Within the U.S., the eclipse path will stretch from Texas to Maine and includes, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, among others. Only certain parts of those states will be within the path of totality.
Other parts of those states and the rest of the country will experience a partial eclipse.
Solar eclipse 2024 warning: Drivers beware of unusual conditions April 8 in Illinois
What time is the eclipse on Monday?
Thetotal eclipse enters the U.S.just after 01:27 p.m. central time April 8 at a point inEagle Pass, Texas, according to eclipse2024.org. The eclipse will end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. eastern time. Even if you're not in the path of totality, you may still experience the eclipse to a lesser degree.
How to watch solar eclipse live stream
Many people are traveling to the path of totality to see the total solar eclipse in Illinois or somewhere in the United States. Others will enjoy a partial eclipse outdoors. If you'd like to watch indoors, you also have options.
Solar eclipse 2024 live
The NASA live stream of the eclipse is available on its various social channels, including anofficial broadcastand atelescope feedon YouTube.
Illinois solar eclipse 2024: Here's a traveler's guide with warnings and advice
Eclipse time by zip code
USA TODAY has an interactive graphic that shows you how the eclipse might look in major cities and, if you enter your zip code, it shows the start time of the partial eclipse, the length of totality and the end.
What time is the total solar eclipse? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide
When does the eclipse start in Illinois?
A partial phase of the eclipse will begin in southern Illinois just before 12:42 p.m. near East Cape Girardeau, wheretotality will enter the stateafter 1:58 p.m. and last about 4 minutes. Totality will exit Illinois after 2:07 p.m. near Palestine. For a list of allcommunities in the path of totality, visit eclipse2024.org.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois solar eclipse 2024: What to know about the eclipse
