Solar Eclipse 2024: New map casts shadow of doubt, but Luna Pier still in path

• A new map shows a narrower path of totality for the April 8 eclipse that may impact some cities, but by just a few miles 
• Luna Pier remains the only Michigan city expected to experience a total eclipse 
• The city is still preparing for visitors but the mayor is encouraging people to go to Toledo instead

April 5: What time is the eclipse in Michigan? Where to go and what you’ll see

Luna Pier is the only city in the state where residents and visitors have a chance to experience total darkness during Monday’s solar eclipse. But a newly released map suggests people visiting the small southeast Michigan community— and some other U.S. cities that are on the edge of the path — may want to travel a mile or two south for a better view. 

Dueling Maps 

Maps from NASA and other sources have predicted the path of totality for several months, but John Irwin, a U.K.-based expert in eclipse calculations, shook things up Monday by releasing a new map that shows a narrower path. 

If the new map is correct, the cities that will be most impacted are those such as Luna Pier that already were barely in the path of totality. However, it appears the Michigan town, which has a population of 1,300, will remain a total eclipse destination. 

“I think the most reliable sources still have us on the path so it is business as usual,” Luna Pier Mayor James Gardner told Bridge. “They are still calling, asking questions and determined to be here that day.”

“All of the maps we see show the path still splitting the city with the northern third outside the path but the southern two-thirds including our downtown still in the path of totality,” Gardner said

Related:

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• Solar eclipse 2024: What time and other answers from a Michigan astronomer
• Solar eclipse 2024: What will Michigan see? How to get glasses, other answers
• Solar eclipse April 8: How Michigan residents, others can protect eyes
• What to know about the April 8 total solar eclipse in Michigan

He said city residents have expressed concern about traffic and parking in the city. He’s encouraging people to head south to Toledo instead, as construction on Interstate 75 could cause significant traffic congestion as people are leaving Luna Pier.

According to NASA’s map, Luna Pier is expected to experience total darkness for about 19 seconds, compared with Toledo, which could experience as much as 90 seconds of total darkness.

‘Reliable’ prediction

The new eclipse prediction, first posted on the blog besselianelements.com, appears “very reliable,” according to University of Michigan assistant research scientist Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti.

“The prediction that was updated … that's the best estimation and most likely the actual path of the sun or of the eclipse,” Akhavan-Tafti said.

“There's so much of the sun we still don't understand, but the exact diameter, especially at a certain angle, is harder to predict. That's why we need more time and closer to the event to understand the actual properties of the sun, relative to the moon,” said Akhavan-Tafti.

He said  people traveling to cities like Luna Pier may want to consider heading a few miles south towards the center of the path of totality, where people will experience total darkness longer.

“If you're going to the center of the path of fatality, nothing is going to change, but if you were banking on you being at the edge of the solar eclipse, because you didn't want to drive too far, maybe you have to rethink that,” Akhavan-Tafti said.

Prepare as normal 

Since the only cities really impacted by the newly calculated path are those on the edge, astronomers and other experts say that eclipse chasers should not make any significant changes to their travel plans. 

“I wouldn't recommend changing any accommodations or lodging plans,” Akhavan-Tafti said. “Just because you're not in the path of totality doesn't mean that you're not going to see the solar eclipse, you're just going to see it at a certain percentage covered by the moon.”

However, it is still advised to pick a spot to view the eclipse ahead of time and plan to leave early, as major highways will be busy with people traveling to see the eclipse. 

People should also remember to pack special eclipse glasses that follow the  ISO 12312-2 standard. NASA also recommends people taking photos use a lens filter over their camera that will eliminate “sun blooming,” resulting in a clearer image.