Mazatlán Gears Up for the Great American Eclipse of 2024
With a little over a year to go until a total solar eclipse sweeps across North America, preparations are in full swing in the city of Mazatlán, Mexico. Timeanddate has been actively assisting local efforts to ensure the city is ready for this celestial event.
First to Witness Totality
Mazatlán, a bustling city of around half a million people on Mexico’s Pacific coast, will be the first place in North America to experience the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. The eclipse will begin in Mazatlán before moving northeasterly across Mexico, through the USA, and into eastern Canada.
Preparation Efforts
With around 400 days remaining until the eclipse, timeanddate has launched an information campaign in collaboration with the Sociedad Astronómica Mazatleca (SAMAZ), a local astronomy group. Information about the eclipse is being distributed through regional newspaper Noroeste and independent journalism project Son Playas, which focuses on environmental and conservation issues.
Path of Totality
A map of the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, shows the path of totality, a very thin, dark band running across North America. Mazatlán is highlighted on this map, indicating its prime location for viewing the eclipse. Areas outside this central band will experience a partial eclipse.
A Grayish Darkness…
Residents of Mazatlán will be the first to witness totality as the Moon’s shadow traverses the continent. Totality in Mazatlán will last about 4 minutes and 20 seconds, beginning at 11:07 AM. During this time, a grayish darkness will envelop the city, and the ghostly solar corona, the outer part of the Sun’s atmosphere, will be visible around the Moon.
Community Involvement
David Esquivel, a teacher at the Autonomous University of Sinaloa and president of SAMAZ, has called for local organizations to participate in the eclipse preparations. “We consider it very important to undertake an information campaign and seek the participation of the tourism, business, and educational sectors,” he said. “With 400 days to go, there is a lot of work to be done to make this a memorable event that everyone can enjoy.”
