Total solar eclipse 2024: Live updates during the once-in-a-generation celestial event

It's time for the Great American Eclipse.

The April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse will be the last of its kind to cross the United States until 2044, giving millions of Americans a once-in-a-generation celestial show.

The eclipse's path of totality is expected to graze Michigan as it passes through central Indiana and northern Ohio. The Free Press has journalists dispatched in Detroit, Luna Pier (which sits along the edge of the path of totality), northern Ohio and even the Austin-to-Detroit flight today, to bring the eclipse experience to you.

Follow our live updates below. Refresh for the latest.

2:31 p.m.: Temperatures begin to drop at Ford House

As the moon started to move across the sun, the temperature began to noticeably drop.

Marge Hilgendorf, 82, of Grosse Pointe Farms, said her father, who was born in the 1900s, would tell her stories about the solar eclipse, so she always wanted to witness one.

“I definitely can feel the temperature going down” she said. “We’ve heard so much about it.”

She went to the Ford House viewing party with her friend, Patricia Steele, 64, of Grosse Point Park. Steele said she was interested in science growing up and this was a special opportunity.

They both said they were pleased to see so many younger faces, especially girls, and their interest in science.

—Frank Witsil

2:28 p.m.: Clouds rolling in over downtown Detroit, Toledo

Our reporters in downtown Detroit and Toledo are watching clouds beginning to cover large portions of the sky as the eclipse approaches.

—JC Reindl

2:17 p.m.: Ship has sailed on a last-minute trip to Luna Pier

Thinking of an on-the-fly jaunt from metro Detroit to catch the eclipse's path of totality in Luna Pier, a small town in southeastern-most Michigan near the Ohio border?

The sun has set on that idea.

Those arriving at the small town of just under 1,400 residents reported southbound I-75 is "a parking lot," with Waze and other navigation apps sending motorists on farm roads from Carleton, more than 30 miles to the north. The trip from the Detroit area - at 12 noon - was taking over 2 hours.

At Luna Pier's Water Tower Park, James Winters of Ypsilanti was ready - a Nikon camera with a giant lens on a tripod, pointed skyward.

"I'm an astrological buff -- I had to come with the total eclipse so close," he said.

Winters had a special filter for his lens to be able to shoot the sun.

Parked next to Winters with a telescope were Rita and John Gilliam and their friend Lori Filippelli of Canton.

When asked what compelled them to make the trip to Luna Pier, John Gilliam simply said, "Bucket list."

—Keith Matheny

2:08 p.m.: Share your own post-eclipse experience with the Free Press here

Did you see the 2024 solar eclipse? Tell us about it in a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters, and we may publish your letter online and in print.

—Nancy Kaffer

2:04 p.m.: It's all happening at the Toledo Zoo

The Toledo zoo saw long traffic backups on Hippo Way, its main entrance, and reached full capacity shortly after 1 p.m. Officials began turning people away after that.

The zoo is packed with Ohio families and children, with crowds starting to gather at an outdoor amphitheater for eclipse viewing. Zoo staff still had plenty of viewing glasses available for patrons, however.

—JC Reindl

1:50 p.m. Scary moment for Free Press photographer on eclipse flight

Free Press photographer Eric Seals learned about the kindness of a stranger as he feared missing a magical moment:

1:38 p.m. Eclipse fever strikes Detroit waterfront

Sitting on a chaise lounge along the Detroit River, not too far from the city's Cullen Plaza and the carousel, Desiree Williams of Belleville considered impending eclipse.

She’d brought several grand children with her. “I wanted them to have this experience,” 61-year-old Williams said. It’s a chance to see nature at its finest.

But to Williams, the eclipse is something else, too. It’s a great unifier. “For me, it’s not local or state history,” she said, about an hour before the eclipse was to begin. “It’s one of these things that ties all of us together. It draws all of us together, not for wars, but for a positive thing.”

And that is what are hopes her grandkids remember.

—Georgea Kovanis

1:29: Delta rolls out eclipse swag for Detroit flight

1:20 p.m.: Spotting the sun safely with a pricey device

Where there is a need, science will provide. Or capitalism will. Or both.

The need Monday was to not have anyone damage their eyes staring at a near-total solar eclipse. In the garden at Cranbrook Institute of Science, as hundreds of people strolled the building, poked around exhibits and waited for the main event, museum educator Jason Kuzera was demonstrating a device called a Sunspotter.

Sold by a company called ScienceFirst in Yulee, Florida, the Sunspotter looks like a large wooden sextant, with an open-sided triangle atop an upwardly curved base. It has an objective lens on one side of the triangle, and mirrors in each interior corner that combine to diffuse the sunlight and project it on a white sheet of paper.

As the moon passes in front of the sun, its progress will show on the paper – a real-time reproduction “which you can see safely,” said Kuzera, 23.

The Sunspotter retails for $533, in case you’re interested. It’s made in China, rather than domestically, so too bad for that missed opportunity.

On the other hand, we get to watch an eclipse today, and China doesn’t.

—Neal Rubin

1:12 p.m.: A generational sighting approaches Ford House

Someday, perhaps, if six-year-old Julian Marchese one day has children of his own, he will remember this day – April 8, 2024 – when he went with his mom, Jessica; his dad, Bill; and his little sister, Junia; to the Ford House in Grosse Point Shores to see the sun disappear, and day turn into night.

At the moment though, he was more interested in crafts, making a sun visor for his eclipse glasses.

The sun, of course, won’t really disappear, as Mary Lee with the Michigan Science Center explained. The view of the sun, and its intense rays, were obscured by the moon, which will block the light, and the heat.

“We saw an ad on Facebook about the event and always wanted to check out the Ford House,” Jessica Marchese, 37, of Warren said. “So, we wanted to do something with the kids, who are home schooled. So, it’s an extra lesson for them.”

Lee added: “We won’t have another one for another 20 years.”

For days, weather forecasters and eclipse viewing party organizers wrung their hands wondering whether clouds would ruin the day, but as it turned out, by late morning, the sky was blue, and as clear as could be.

Julian said he wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but eager to find out as he drew a rainbow with crayons.

Just before the eclipse, an astronomer from the science center, Paulette Epstein, would give the crowd a talk about what to expect, and give them safety tips, such as not to look directly at the sun without their protective solar-viewing glasses.

As they waited for the eclipse, 5-year-old Augie Morren built a moon base – or what he imagined one would look like – out of blocks.

His mother, Stephany Morren, 55, of Grosse Pointe Shores, looked on.

Augie had been to the Ford House before, but this time, they wondered what would happen to the animals, especially the beavers. Morren wondered whether they would come out, as the sun got dark, because they might think it was nighttime. For the event, the science center set up tent stations to teach astronomy lessons.

Moreen said she expected the eclipse to be extra special because she was witnessing it with her son, and remembered as a child, seeing a partial solar eclipse. For this one, they are on the edge of what scientists call the path of totality.

Here, an estimated 99% of the sun is expected to disappear when the moon passes in front of it.

—Frank Witsil

1:05 p.m. Meanwhile, back at Cranbrook....

Stacey DuFord was a morning radio host in 2017 when metro Detroit last gazed upward – carefully – at a major solar eclipse.

Now a weather forecaster at WWJ-TV (Channel 62), she is taking more of a precise and professional interest in this one. But between reports from the garden deck at the Cranbrook Institute of Science Monday, she admitted fudging one fact, if only slightly.

The peak viewing time in southeast Michigan, with just under 99% totality, will come at 3:14 p.m.

“I’ve been telling people 3:13,” she said, “because we’re Detroit.”

—Neal Rubin

1:10 p.m.: Clogged highway as motorists flock to see best view of total eclipse

12:48 p.m. Ford House prepares for eclipse excitement

12:42: Preparing to fly to Detroit amid mid-air eclipse

12:40: Hear wedding bells south of us? The 'Elope at the Eclipse' is coming soon

12 noon: Great American Eclipse, meet some great American traffic

This live stream from WXYZ shows the roads heading south from Michigan into the Path of Totality (Hi, Ohio!) are getting crowded:

11:42: a.m. Cranbrook to host hundreds for a sky-darkening day party

The head of astronomy at the Cranbrook Institute of Science had his feet firmly planted on the ground as he waited for up to a thousand guests Monday.

“We’re basically just the facilitators,” Mike Narlock said. “The universe puts on the show. We just kind of escort them to their seats.”

The institute sold out 800 tickets online for what’s believed to be the largest eclipse-watching party in metro Detroit, with another 200 available for walk-ins.

Admission was $14 for adults and $10.50 for seniors or kids, aged 2 to 12. It’s that last group he had high hopes for on a day when most everyone will be looking upward.

“An event like this raises the profile of science,” said Narlock, 53, dressed for comfort in jeans and a sweatshirt. “If it sparks a long-term interest, so much the better.”

Narlock, Cranbrook's astronomy guru, became fascinated with the stars as a kid in Arizona.

Looking at the desert sky, free from the light pollution of a city, “I had questions,” he said. “My parents didn’t have answers.”

He found them in books, and now tries to provide them with the telescopes and hands-on exhibits that guests were encouraged to explore at the Institute of Science get-together.

“Educate, excite, and make available the wonders of the universe,” he said. “That’s our goal.”

A few lumbering steps from the entrance to the Cranbrook Institute of Science stands Steggy, a life-sized, tan-and-white statue of a stegosaurus.

Some 150 million years ago, he and his peers would have looked skyward during an eclipse and thought, with their walnut-sized brains, “What the heck is this?”

Monday, he was wearing oversized, squared-off sunglasses.

For those who couldn’t obtain proper eyewear, Cranbrook Head of Astronomy Mike Narlock said, “you can use the trees to see the eclipse. Or a colander. Just look at the shadow.”

—Neal Rubin

11:35 a.m.: Rock on to the celestial beat

Free Press editor Maryann Struman has this find for lovers of alternative music:

11:30 a.m.: A reminder: eclipse and driving

Michigan Department of Transportation has these cautions for getting behind the wheel when the sun gets behind the moon:

11:15 a.m.: A flight for the ages

Free Press photographer Eric Seals will be on the flight from Austin to Detroit today to catch the solar eclipse from his seat. Here's the scene at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport:

10:54 a.m.: A celestial event to hit a historic home

Across North America, millions of people have been eagerly anticipating when the bright sun dims – either partially or entirely while covered by the moon – and day looks like night. For the moment, people have planned weddings, astronomy lessons and viewing parties with commemorative drinks.

Only a tiny corner of Michigan -- which includes a city with the perfect name for viewing the eclipse, Luna Pier – is in the path of totality, but radiating out from there, Michiganders are expecting to witness at least a partial eclipse, depending on the cloud cover.

At the Ford House -- the historic family home of Edsel Ford, the only son of Henry Ford – in Grosse Pointe Shores, a sold-out solar eclipse viewing event was set to go Monday, from noon to 4:30 p.m. Organizers promoted the experience as “an ethereal dance of light and shadow.”

In addition, the Detroit-based Michigan Science Center also is set to be on hand to explain the astronomy and help with hands on activities, making pinhole projectors; aiming solar telescopes and sunspotters; and designing a moon-based camp.

A solar eclipse is a rare thing to see, but more than that, event organizers said, whether the sky was cloudy or perfectly clear, a moment for memories, especially families. Years later, they will be able to reminisce about the day the sun went dark, like it was night.

Part of the experience, scientists say, is not just what you can see – or more accurately, don’t see – but also hear and feel. Animals, as it gets dark, become disoriented, with crickets chirping and birds stop singing. Sometimes, pets lie down, as if to go to sleep.

And the temperature drops, as the sun disappears, by 10 to 15 degrees.

The Ford estate, with is manicured grounds and gardens, opened for stargazers to look up, in part because it offers unobstructed views of the celestial phenomenon.

But as those wait for the moment of darkness - not entirely, but close, at let’s say 3:13 p.m., for the sake of geographical poetry – can also enjoy the house.

And for those willing to pay a little more - $50 or $60, instead of $7 and $5 - for tickets, in addition to protective solar eclipse glasses, patrons will receive snacks, wine glasses, and a bottle of Heron Hill’s Eclipse wine to toast the special moment.

—Frank Witsil

When is the solar eclipse? When does it start near me?

The 2024 solar eclipse is Monday, April 8, 2024. Its path of totality is expected to cross the United States from approximately 2:27 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. Eastern time. That's when, if you're in the path, the sky will darken for several minutes and the air will get colder.

Use this ZIP code locator to find out when the eclipse begins and ends in your area — and what it will look like. Plan for up to 2.5 hours for eclipse viewing.

—Amy Huschka

How to watch the solar eclipse today

There are a few ways you can watch today's solar eclipse, even if you're not in the path of totality:

• Solar eclipse glasses: Here are a few last-minute places to look for safe eclipse glasses.

• Make your own viewer: You can view the eclipse using a pinhole projector or a kitchen colander.

• Watch a live stream: NASA will stream the solar eclipse starting at 1 p.m. Eastern. The Free Press will also live stream from the path of totality in northern Ohio, starting around 3 p.m.

—Brian Manzullo

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Total solar eclipse 2024: Live updates