2023 Annular Eclipse

 

This custom eclipse poster is available for purchase at the WNPA Park Store located inside the Malaquite Visitor Center.

Tyler Nordgren

This year, the US will see its first annular solar eclipse since 2012! It will begin on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, beginning in Oregon and ending in Texas. Weather permitting, the eclipse will be visible from Padre Island starting at 10:26 am CDT and ending at 1:39 pm CDT, with the maximum eclipse of 90.26% occurring at 11:59 am CDT.

What is an Annular Eclipse?

An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover the Sun. As a result, the Moon appears as a dark disk on top of a larger, bright disk, creating what looks like a “ring of fire” around the Moon.

Eclipse Timeline

The entire eclipse will last for a total of 3 hours, 12 minutes, 15 seconds. The total duration of annularity is 4 minutes, 53 seconds.

Times are for Malaquite Beach, Padre Island National Seashore, Texas.

Event	Local Time (CDT)
Start of partial eclipse	10:26:57 am
Start of annularity	11:56:35 am
Maximum annularity	11:59:01 am
End of annularity	12:01:28 pm
End of partial eclipse	1:39:12 pm

 

Where to View the Eclipse

The national seashore will make a great place to view the eclipse but its not the only place. The centerline of the eclipse passes right through the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. Learn more about places to stay, events, and where to watch in the our from our friends at Visit Corpus Christi.

 

 

View the eclipse safely by wearing eclipse glasses that are ISO 12312-2 compliant.

NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo

Safe Eclipse Viewing

It is never safe to look at the sun during an annular eclipse without special purpose solar filters.

Eclipse glasses are not regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and must comply with the ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015) international safety standard. Filters that are ISO 12312-2 compliant not only reduce visible sunlight to safe and comfortable levels but also block solar UV and IR radiation.

Special Programs

During the day of the annular solar eclipse, the park will offer several casual drop-in activities for you to experience the eclipse in different ways. These drop-in activities will be available at the Malaquite Visitor Center from 10 am to 2 pm.

Build Your Own Solar Viewer

Watch a short video and learn how to make your own solar eclipse viewer. Bring a cereal box from home and use the other supplies provided by the park. Supplies are limited.

Listen to the Eclipse

Hear the sonification of the solar eclipse with a LightSound devise. LightSound is a project from the Harvard University Astronomy Lab, that allows people that are blind or low vision to experience a solar eclipse through sound.

Examine Sunspots

See sunspots on the surface of the Sun with a solar scope. Learn where these tiny dots on Sun come from.

Become an Eclipse Explorer

Complete the NPS Junior Ranger Eclipse Explorer book and earn your own Junior Ranger Eclipse Explorer badge. Supplies are limited.