A total solar eclipse passed over parts of North America, including the city of Waco, Texas, on April 8, 2024, and we were there to witness the phenomenon!
The Eclipse Over Texas: Live from Waco event featured telescopes, educational activities, programs, food trucks, and family fun. Astronomers were be on site from Lowell Observatory and Baylor University.
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Overview
What is a Total Solar Eclipse?
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, completely covering the Sun’s disk and casting a shadow on the Earth. This alignment happens during the new moon phase, but because the Moon’s orbit is slightly tilted relative to Earth’s orbit around the Sun, total solar eclipses are rare, occurring roughly every 18 months somewhere on Earth.
The experience is both scientific and awe-inspiring, as totality provides a rare opportunity to study the corona and other solar phenomena. Total solar eclipses are visible only within the path of totality, a narrow region on Earth. Outside this path, observers see a partial eclipse.
Why was this Eclipse Special?
The April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse stood out as an extraordinary celestial event for several reasons, beginning with its impressive duration. Totality lasted over 4 minutes in many locations, including Waco, Texas. This extended timeframe offered observers a rare and prolonged opportunity to marvel at the Sun’s corona, the halo of plasma visible only during totality, and to witness stars and planets emerge in the darkened daytime sky. Such long-lasting eclipses are a rarity in the 21st century.
Another significant factor was the eclipse’s accessibility across North America. Its path stretched from Mexico to Canada, crossing several U.S. states and allowing millions to experience totality without needing to travel far. Waco, located near the eclipse’s centerline, became a prime viewing spot, drawing thousands of spectators to enjoy an uninterrupted view of this natural wonder.
The eclipse also offered unique scientific and educational opportunities. Scientists used the event to study the Sun’s corona and its interactions with Earth’s atmosphere. At the same time, public events, such as the one in Waco, featured educational programs, expert talks, and interactive exhibits that fostered curiosity and learning among attendees of all ages.
Beyond the science, the event carried a deep cultural and emotional impact. Total solar eclipses are rare phenomena that inspire awe and wonder, creating moments of unity and reflection. This eclipse was celebrated with festivals, music, and community gatherings, making it a shared experience as much as a celestial one. It was also the first total solar eclipse to cross the United States since the famous 2017 event, marking it as part of a remarkable sequence in recent history.
The next total solar eclipse visible in the United States after April 8, 2024, will occur on August 23, 2044, though its path of totality will cover only parts of Montana and North Dakota. A much more dramatic event will follow just a year later, on August 12, 2045, when a coast-to-coast total solar eclipse will span across the U.S., offering a stunning 6 minutes of totality in some areas, the longest in over a century.
Partial eclipse
Eclipse safety glasses on!
Total Solar Eclipse Viewing Plan
As soon as we knew there would be a total eclipse over the United States in 2024, we started looking for the best places to view it from. Unfortunately, since it was on a Monday, we were a bit limited because of school. As it was, the boys skipped school on Monday so we could go to this one-in-a-lifetime event. So we needed somewhere within driving distance that we knew we would be in the path of totality. Originally, I was looking at rental homes just north of Dallas in Oklahoma since that would mark off another state for us. But they were either already booked or too far of a drive to get back to school.
My father-in-law saw something about the Eclipse Over Texas: Live from Waco event and we decided to book tickets for it. We considered finding a place to stay in downtown Waco, but there were no hotel rooms available anywhere near the big event. In October of 2023, we saw a partial eclipse as the annular eclipse crossed Texas, but it wasn’t enough. This time, we wanted to be at an onsite celebration for the historic event.
The six of us ready with our solar glasses
Meeting guest speaker Misha Collins
Getting There
Location
Waco, Texas, is easily accessible by car from major cities. From Dallas, the city is about 1.5 to 2 hours south via I-35. If you’re coming from Austin, Waco is approximately 1.5 hours to the north. Houston is about a 3-hour drive to the south of Waco. Since we knew the city would likely be busy, we built in extra time to get there.
For air travel, Waco Regional Airport (ACT) is the closest option, though it may offer limited flights. If you’re flying from a larger city, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is about 2 hours away by car, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is approximately 1.5 hours away.
Ryan marking where we are from on the map
Tyler doing some STEM activities before the eclipse
Total Solar Eclipse Day Itinerary
Leave Houston at 4 AM
We knew we had a long drive ahead of us, and planned on hitting a lot of traffic as we got closer and closer to Waco. The event was a collaboration between Baylor University, Lowell Observatory, and the Discovery Channel and was hosted at McLane Stadium on Baylor’s campus. For us, that’s about a 3-hour drive, but worth it to know we would have a seat in an ideal location.
Stop at a Gas Station
On the way in, we stopped at a gas station just outside of Waco to fill up. We wanted to have the vehicle gassed up since we knew we would be fighting traffic again leaving the area. And, with the main event ending at 3 PM, plus our 3-hour drive home, we didn’t want to have to stop on the way.
This was a great time for us to all run in and use the restroom, grab a couple of snacks, and fill up the tank. While there, we heard, “Hey Lynch Family!” and turned around to see one of Tyler’s best friends from school at the same gas station. We must have left the house around the same time. They were also headed to Waco for the rare celestial display, but not to Baylor University’s McLane Stadium.
Arrive at Waco Stadium
We arrived at the parking lot for the stadium about an hour before the gates would open. Surprisingly, we didn’t hit any traffic on the way there. According to our live traffic map, most of the traffic didn’t start in the area until about an hour later. When we purchased our tickets to the event, we also paid ahead for parking. The other option was to find parking in the downtown area and use the Waco transit system but since we’ve never done that before, we liked the security of knowing where to go and where to park.
Park in the Stadium Parking Lot
Since we knew we were likely to get there early, I had my Kindle reader and the boys brought a baseball and their gloves. They were able to stand in front of the vehicle and toss the ball while we waited for the gates to open.
Running on the Baylor practice field
We taught Ryan how to play solitaire while waiting
Enter Main Gate
Once the gates opened, we packed up a few things in the vehicle, grabbed what we needed for the day, and went to the gates. The tickets included a pair of eclipse glasses for everyone to safely look at the sun’s surface. From the Main Gate, we had a bit of a walk to get over to the main seating area and near the stage. The seating was an open field where they typically have tailgating during football season. We brought in chairs, blankets to lay on, decks of cards, our own eye protection glasses, jackets, and sunglasses. I also had a couple of camera protection lenses that we could use to take photos on our phones without potentially damaging the cameras.
Full Day of Activities
Our event tickets also allowed us access to all of the interactive activities, science educators’ talks, food trucks, merchandise trucks, and more. After finding a place to set down our chairs and bags, I walked with the boys to the booths with STEM activities, games, and displays. It was such an educational event for all of us! The boys were able to play with bristle bots, get a safe telescope viewing of the sun, and mark a map with where we are from. It was neat to look at the map to see how far people traveled for the public event.
Food and Snacks
After walking around the activities, we were all hungry. Since we weren’t allowed to bring food into the event, we decided to check out a few of the food trucks to get some lunch, snacks, and shaved ice desserts.
Bought Eclipse Tshirts
One of the last stops we made before settling in to listen to some of the guest speakers and wait for the first partial phase of the solar eclipse was a merchandise truck. We each picked out an eclipse T-shirt and the boys were able to get stickers as well. They both wore their shirts to school the next day!
Playing cards with friends who were also there while we waited for the big event
Watching the beginning of the eclipse
Science Talks
The Eclipse Over Texas 2024 event hosted a series of science talks featuring prominent speakers from institutions like NASA, Baylor University, and Lowell Observatory. The talks covered topics related to astronomy, solar phenomena, and the significance of eclipses, making the event an educational experience for attendees. The presentations included engaging visuals and discussions designed for both science enthusiasts and general audiences.
Speakers included Dr. Barbara Endl from Baylor University, an expert in astronomy and astrophysics, along with NASA representatives who provided insights into solar science and space exploration. Additionally, speakers from Lowell Observatory shared their expertise on celestial events and public outreach in astronomy, making the talks both informative and engaging for attendees.
Special Guest Speaker: Misha Collins
The most unexpected and thrilling moment of the day was the announcement of a surprise guest speaker. The announcer revealed that the guest was a local resident and a star of one of my favorite shows, Supernatural: actor and philanthropist Misha Collins. Overwhelmed with excitement, I quickly gathered the boys, and we hurried to the front of the stage to snap photos of him—and even managed a few with him in the background.
Collins played an integral role in enhancing the educational and community spirit of the event, participating in interactive discussions and activities that captivated families and fans alike, tying his presence to the larger theme of solar eclipse celebration. As he exited the stage, we seized the opportunity to approach him and capture a quick photo together—a memory to cherish from this remarkable day.
Guest Speaker Misha Collins
The sun peeking through the clouds early in the day
Eclipse: The Main Event
We got very lucky that we had clear skies just in time for the celestial event of the year. Most of the Texas weather prospects showed clouds all day which would have obscured our view. About 15 minutes before the totality started, the clouds cleared and we had a perfect view of the eclipse.
- 12:20 PM – First Contact (Moon touches Sun’s edge)
- 1:38 PM – Totality begins (there was an announcement made at the exact moment of totality so we could then remove our glasses)
- 1:42 PM – Totality ends (there was an announcement made and we needed to put our glasses back on)
- 3:00 PM – Last contact
The eclipse begins with the partial phase when the Moon starts to cover the Sun. In Waco, this phase commenced around 12:20 PM local time, as the Moon slowly moved across the Sun’s disk. Over the next hour, the sunlight gradually dimmed, creating an eerie and unique atmosphere.
The most anticipated part of the eclipse, totality, occurred at approximately 1:38 PM CDT in Waco and lasted for an impressive 4 minutes and 13 seconds of totality, one of the longest durations along the eclipse path. During this brief period, the Moon completely obscured the Sun, revealing the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, which shimmered with ethereal beauty. The sky darkened as though it was twilight, and stars and planets became visible. The boys had glow toys that were given out at some of the booths that they could play with during the totality. The temperature dropped noticeably and a slight wind picked up during the peak of the total solar eclipse.
After totality, the partial phase resumed, as the Moon continued its path, uncovering the Sun. This phase concluded at about 2:58 PM CDT, marking the end of the eclipse experience. Altogether, the celestial event lasted just over 3.5 hours, offering ample opportunities to witness different stages of this astronomical phenomenon.
Light up toys during the minutes of darkness
The sun completely obscured behind the moon
Ate in the Parking Lot
After the end of totality, we waited a few minutes and then packed up our stuff to head to the parking lot. Many people were leaving at this time, which we anticipated. We packed a cooler with sandwich fixing and tailgated in the parking lot for about 30 minutes, eating our sandwiches and snacks, as we let some of the traffic clear out. This also meant we had some dinner in us so we wouldn’t have to stop on the long drive home.
Head Home
Finally, we left the McLane Stadium parking lot around 2:30 PM to start the drive home. Our maps took us on a few alternative routes to get us home the quickest. Traffic was heavy around the city but started to thin out the closer we got to Houston and out of the eclipse viewing areas.