A comet, planetary alignment and an active sun part of solar eclipse show
TORONTO, April 3, 2024 – The upcoming solar spectacle is eclipsing some of the other interesting skyward happenings, but York University Assistant Professor Elaina Hyde of the Faculty of Science and director of the Allan I. Carswell Observatory, is available to discuss what else to watch for on April 8.
- Comet 12P Pons-Brooks – what Hyde calls fascinating – will be visible just off to the side of Jupiter and may even be visible with binoculars during totality of the solar eclipse
- The planetary alignment of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune during eclipse totality
- An active sun where viewers may be able to see sunspots during the partial eclipse as the sun is in a more active time of its solar cycle
In Toronto, it will be a partial eclipse, 99.6 per cent of totality, beginning at 2:04 p.m. and ending at 4:31 p.m. on April 8 with the maximum at 3:19 p.m.
Timing varies depending on location. For those wanting the full experience, the total eclipse will be viewable in other areas of Ontario – Niagara Falls, Hamilton and St. Catharines.
