HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — A solar eclipse will take place today, and Alabama is expected to witness at least a partial view of the phenomenon. Although the eclipse won't bring total darkness to the state as it passes through on April 8, some regions, particularly in the northern part of the state, could see up to 89 percent of the sun covered by the moon.
The eclipse is scheduled to begin at 12:42:58 PM in the Huntsville area. Maximum coverage is expected at 2:02:07 PM, with the event ending at 3:19:17 PM, offering a viewing window of approximately 2 hours and 26 minutes.
In Birmingham, the eclipse coverage will be 86 percent. People can start watching at 12:41 p.m., with partial coverage beginning at 1:23 p.m. The peak coverage of 86 percent will happen at 2 p.m., ending around 3:17 p.m.
Mobile will experience an eclipse coverage of 79.4 percent. The event starts at 12:34 p.m., with partial coverage beginning at 1:15 p.m. The peak coverage of 79.4 percent will be reached at 1:54 p.m., ending around 3:12 p.m.
Despite not experiencing totality, people can expect between 78 to 92 percent coverage, depending on their location within the state. For those curious about their viewing times, NASA has an interactive map that allows people to put in their city or ZIP code to access full eclipse details, including start and end times for every state.
The last solar eclipse in Alabama occurred on August 21, 2017. During that event, Huntsville experienced 97 percent coverage of the sun by the moon, while central Alabama saw about 90 percent coverage, and Mobile witnessed 80 percent coverage.
