Western astronomer advises Londoners to 'head south' for coming total solar eclipse

Expect a rush to all points south for the coming solar eclipse.

On Monday, April 8, the sky will go dark in some areas of southwestern Ontario.

But where you are located will make “the difference between night and day,” according to a Western University astronomer.

Inside the Hume Cronyn Observatory at Western, Professor Jan Cami utilized a vintage educational tool to demonstrate a total solar eclipse.

“As the moon orbits the earth, what happens is, at some point, the moon actually moves in front of the sun from the earth’s point of view, and so you actually see there is a shadow.”

When the moon casts its actual shadow, it will mark the first total solar eclipse in southwestern Ontario since 1925.

But the area of totality, as the celestial event passes over the continent, is just 200 kilometres wide.

Our region will sit on the fringe.

Western Astronomer Jan Cami, seen on Feb. 1, 2024, points to a shadow created by a simulated total solar eclipse using a teaching tool dating back to the 1940s. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

As a result, London will not go completely dark. However, points south, including St. Thomas and Port Stanley, will see day turn to night.

Cami said it will be worth fighting possible traffic jams to view from those areas.

“The difference, I can tell you, between a 99.9 per cent partial eclipse and a total solar eclipse is literally the difference between day and night.”

Weather permitting, this eclipse is expected to generate stratospheric excitement beyond any recent events.

In August 2017, a partial eclipse drew a big crowd to a public event at Western. Attendees wore special eclipse glasses to look up safely.

Anyone in school in the late 1970s remembers being locked inside classrooms during another partial eclipse.

This time around, several school boards have moved a PA Day so kids will be at home.

Cami encourages parents to purchase glasses to share the moment with their children safely.

That’s what parent Levi Marconi is set to do with his two boys.

“We are planning on watching the eclipse with proper protection. But I’m glad they are able to do that because they are home with us.”

Although relatively affordable to purchase, eclipse glasses are being provided free of charge to anyone attending an information night at the Hume Cronyn Observatory on Saturday, March 23 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Cami plans to remind everyone who can find a way south on April 8, “I think a lot of people will travel to the path of totality because it is the most amazing experience I’ve ever seen.”

Cami has viewed three previous total solar eclipses in various parts of the world.