Stellarium
Web App
Simulate the path from anywhere, in or out of the path of totality. Once you are there on April 8th, you can take pictures!
How To Use The Web App
Stellarium is a visual tool that can help you see what astronomical events will look like in the sky near you. This tool is also very useful for simulating eclipses!
There are multiple ways to access Stellarium’s virtual planetarium, and the two simplest modes are via the Stellarium Web Online Star Map, or through the mobile app Stellarium which is accessible on both Google Play and Apple’s App Store. This guide will walk you through how to use the Stellarium Web Online Star Map version. Open this link and follow the instructions below to simulate what the solar eclipse will look like from your area.
- Collapse the sidebar by clicking on the hamburger button, ≡, at the top of the window.
- In the bottom left corner, select the gray button with the words “NEAR *YOUR LOCATION*”
- A location window will appear. Enter the location you plan on viewing the eclipse from into the search bar, hit enter or select from the dropdown list of places, and select the button that says “> USE THIS LOCATION”. The virtual planetarium will now display the astronomical objects as they will be visible from that location.
- Next, select the button in the bottom right corner of the window.
- A date and time window will appear. Toggle the year, month, and day arrows until you reach April 8, 2024. Click and drag on the sky map until the Sun is within the frame. You can now click on the pause button in the center of the date and time window and then proceed to toggle through the hours of the day until the moon begins to overlap the Sun. At this point, you can begin toggling through the minutes and then seconds up until the software simulates a total or partial solar eclipse. Keep in mind that this will only be visible in certain regions.