What to know when you’re searching for eclipse glasses
There are a few key pieces of information you’ll want to be aware of when buying eclipse glasses for 2024’s total solar eclipse.
As umbraphiles usher in excitement for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, others are looking back at the history of the astrological oddity.
It’s known that a total solar eclipse is fairly rare event, with only an estimated one in 10,000 people witnessing a total eclipse within their lifetime, leaving some to wonder how often the city of Detroit has gotten its own glimpse of the phenomenon.
According to National Eclipse, the last time that a total solar eclipse crossed over present-day Detroit was on June 16, 1806.
The June 16, 1806, total eclipse moved across the continental U.S. from Baja, California all the way to Massachusetts, with the city of Detroit and other parts of south Michigan falling under its path of totality.
More: Solar eclipse 2024: Best places to watch in Michigan, Ohio
This means that the last time an eclipse passed over Detroit, Michigan wasn’t even a declared state yet, and wouldn’t be for another 30 years.
In fact, it was only the year before, in 1805, that the what-would-be Michigan was separated from the Indiana Territory, establishing Detroit as the capital of the Michigan Territory.
Additionally, after the Great Fire of 1805 reduced Detroit to ashes, Judge Augustus Woodward began to design a new street plan for the city of Detroit. That plan was adopted in 1806, and although it was later discarded for a standard grid plan, features of Woodward’s plan remain in downtown Detroit.
So, the last time that a total solar eclipse, symbolic of new beginnings, passed over Detroit, the city was rebuilding and creating a fresh start for itself − a fun fact, if anything.
Michigan has experienced other eclipses since then, with one on Jan. 24, 1925, that crossed over northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula and another on June 30, 1954, that passed over the western side of the U.P.
However, the next time a total solar eclipse will pass over Detroit isn’t until Sept. 12, 2444, said the post on X.
So, if you don’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime-or-two opportunity, grab your eclipse glasses and head on down to Erie Township, Luna Pier, or one of the other many cities within the eclipse’s path of totality to witness the eclipse on April 8.
Or just step outside (with proper safety glasses, of course) since the city of Detroit will see 99 percent of the sun covered for the event.
Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
