Total Solar Eclipse

One of nature’s most spectacular and rare phenomena is coming to Brockville on Monday, April 8, 2024. Our region will be one of the few places in Canada that will be in the path of a total solar eclipse. These are rare events in which the moon passes in front of the sun, and temporarily blocks its light, turning day into twilight.

Brockville will be in the Path of Totality on April 8, 2024 and will experience a total solar eclipse on that day. This will be a once in a lifetime event for the residents of Brockville as a total solar eclipse won’t fall over Brockville again for hundreds of years.

The path of totality is a narrow corridor of approximately 100 to 115 kilometres wide in which the sun appears to be completely covered by the moon for a short period of time. People who are in the path of totality are able to see features of the sun that are not normally visible. Proper eye protection is necessary.

What makes this solar eclipse different?

You may be thinking that you’ve seen an eclipse before, so what’s the big deal? Unless you have gone out of your way to be along the Path of Totality you have mostly likely only seen a partial solar eclipse in the past. Even if you have seen a partial eclipse where 99% of the sun was covered, it’s an incomparable experience when 100% of the sun is covered during a total solar eclipse. Click here to try out the eclipse simulator for Brockville to see what makes a total solar eclipse different from a partial solar eclipse.

People who have experienced a total eclipse describe it as a meaningful life event, an awe inspiring and fully immersive natural wonder:

“As the eclipse progresses and most of the Sun is covered, the environment changes. You notice the dimming and special quality of the light around you, the fading colours and the drop in temperature. Nature becomes quiet, and you too become hushed as the Moon’s shadow creeps eerily toward you… Those final moments before totality are incredibly powerful as things change rapidly. The brilliant diamond ring, a last gleam of sunlight seen against the lunar silhouette, heralds the start of totality… and then you are, quite literally, plunged into darkness. You are standing in the shadow of the Moon. Totality.”

– Dr. Kate Russo, Being in the Shadow

Date and Time of the Solar Eclipse:

• Date: Monday April 8, 2024
• Begins: 2:10 pm
• Maximum (eclipse totality for Brockville will last 2 minutes and 47 seconds): starts at 3:24 pm
• Ends: 4:35 pm
  • Total duration: 2 hours, 24 minutes

Solar Eclipse Viewing Event in Brockville:

A community total eclipse viewing event will be held on Blockhouse Island in Brockville on Monday, April 8 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The eclipse itself takes place between 2:10 pm and 4:35 pm, with eclipse totality occurring in Brockville from 3:24 pm to just before 3:27 pm. This will be a fun way to get out and experience this once in a lifetime event with friends, family, and our local community.

Event site details:

• The event will run from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Monday April 8
• Blockhouse Island Parkway will be the official eclipse viewing area in Brockville
• The site will be closed that day to vehicle traffic to make room for pedestrians to move about safely
• Bring your own lawn chairs or picnic blankets, and dress appropriately in layers as April at the waterfront can be quite cool
• Please leave pets at home. We anticipate large crowds, loud noises and music, and animals can get spooked during the total eclipse so it’s best not to bring them
• Pick up your free pair of solar filter glasses on site (limited quantities available for one pair per person. We strongly recommend securing your pair in advance from local businesses to avoid disappointment). sponsored by the Aquatarium, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Brockville Tourism.
• Cameras should use a specific solar filter (including phone cameras too) in order to protect their equipment. If you plan to take photos during the eclipse, spend some time doing a bit of research ahead of time on camera settings and filters
• Access our custom Google Map here which shows nearby points of interest, parking lots, public washrooms, and more
• Vendors will be on site (applications for interested vendors has now closed)
• A free Solar Shuttle Bus will be available from the Brockville Memorial Centre and the Brockville Shopping Centre

Full Event Details

The event starts at 11:00 am on April 8^th on Blockhouse Island.

Schedule:

• 10:00 am to 2:45 pm, and again from 3:45 pm to 6:00 pm: Free shuttle buses from the Brockville Memorial Centre and Brockville Shopping Centre begin (free parking at both sites too). Please note that buses will not be on the road during totality; the last pick up to get down to Blockhouse Island will pick up at around 2:45pm, traffic dependent.
• 11:00 am: event grounds open.
  • Vendors will be set up by the Brockville Railway Tunnel plaza
  • Fat Les Waterfront Grill and food truck
  • Aquatarium education station, face painting, and bouncy castle
  • Royal Canadian Air Force staff and displays
  • Watch the chalk artists create their pieces for the contest and vote for your favourite
• 11:00 am: free live stream of our event at the Brockville Arts Centre. NASA coverage of the solar eclipse to begin, followed by a live stream of our Brockville event once the action picks up. This is a great alternative if you would prefer to watch indoors and from comfortable seats! The Aquatarium will also be hosting a live stream of our event starting a bit later in the day. Please follow the Aquatarium on facebook for updates and to watch the live stream.
• 12:15 pm: Opening ceremonies in the Railway Tunnel Plaza
• 12:30 to12:50 pm: The Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums will follow the opening ceremonies
• 12:45 pm (approximate time): The Royal Canadian Air Force CC130J Hercules Fly Past
• 1:00 pm: Photos with mascot “Astra” at the Royal Canadian Air Force booth
• 1:00 pm: IssaBel Music, performance in the Railway Tunnel Plaza
• 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm: The Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums, marching from the Railway Tunnel to the waterfront
• 2:10 pm: Eclipse begins
• 3:24 pm: Eclipse totality in Brockville (lasts only 2 minutes and 47 seconds)
• 3:45 pm to 6:00 pm: Free shuttle buses from Blockhouse Island to the Brockville Memorial Centre and Brockville Shopping Centre resumes
• 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm: The Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums in the Railway Tunnel Plaza
• 4:35 pm: Eclipse ends
• 5:00 pm: event ends, vendors and activities close
  • Downtown will be busy after the eclipse when everyone tries to leave at the same time. Avoid traffic jams by spending some time in Downtown Brockville shopping or going out for a bite to eat. Lots of shops are available on King Street, go check them out!
• 6:00 pm: Shuttle bus service ends

The Royal Canadian Air Force is celebrating their 100^th anniversary this year, and will have a presence on site, along with performances by the Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums. Click here for more information about their special fly past scheduled to follow our opening ceremonies.

The Aquatarium will have educational activities and face painting on the grassy area in the centre of the parkway.

For astronomy enthusiasts, a telescope set up area will be established on the south west corner of the parkway (see “telescopes” below).

A chalk art contest will take place on site with artists creating their pieces throughout the event. If you are interested in participating in this contest, you must contact us in advance to sign up. Please fill in this brief form to express your interest in participating. Artists of all levels are welcome. Proposed work must be appropriate for viewing by all ages. Preferred themes are the eclipse and astronomy, the Aquatarium, celebrating 100 years of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and celebrating Brockville, but if you have other ideas, please let us know. Maximum 10 participating contestants.

For more information on the Eclipse event happening in Brockville, please visit eclipsecanada2024.ca as information will be added to that site as the event develops.

If you are a business owner in Brockville, please read our post on how to prepare for the eclipse.

Traffic:

• While visitors are expected to arrive in a staggered fashion during the weekend prior, and on the day itself, everyone here for the event, whether local or visitor, will be leaving the area after the eclipse experience at around the same time, which could lead to traffic jams and congestion.
• Based on the time of day (3:24 pm) when the eclipse will occur, and position in the sky, many travelers along the 401 and Highway 2 are expected to pull over or off of the highway to observe this rare event.
• Please be patient and plan accordingly when driving home or back to your hotel following the eclipse. If you are visiting Brockville from out of town, enjoy some shopping or dinner before leaving the city to avoid the worst of the traffic congestion.
• If you are traveling to Brockville from another city in order to view the eclipse, please take the first Brockville exit from the 401 that you encounter (Brockville exits: 687, 696, and 698). Google maps default directions funnel everyone to the same exit (696), which will make things slower and more crowded than necessary. Click here to see our custom google map and driving directions to the event site. We will also have a free shuttle bus service running, see “Solar Shuttle Bus” below.

Parking:

There are a number of parking lots in the vicinity of the Blockhouse Island eclipse viewing area. These include the Market Street West lot, indoor parking at the Aquatarium and outdoor parking across the street. For pedestrian safety, the Water Street Parking lot will not be available. For more information on parking in Brockville, please visit our parking page. Complimentary 2 hour parking is available on King Street and side streets downtown, but please note that you must move your car after the 2 hour mark or you could receive a parking ticket.

Accessible Parking Area: If you have an Accessible Parking Tag, you may park in our dedicated parking area on Ferry Street, however these spaces are limited so you should plan for an alternate plan if these spaces are full (have someone with you who can drop you off an park further away). Golf cart shuttles sponsored by Hudson Supply will help get you from the Ferry Street parking spaces to further out on Blockhouse Island.

Solar Shuttle Bus

Free parking is available off site at both the Brockville Memorial Centre, courtesy of BuildingBrockville (take 401 exit 698) and the Brockville Shopping Centre (take 401 exit 696) with a free shuttle bus service (using school buses). Buses will run on a loop.

Solar shuttle service will run:

• from 10:00 am to 2:45 pm to the eclipse viewing area,
• from 3:45 pm to 6:00 pm from the event site back to the two parking area.

Please note that buses will not be on the road during totality; the last pick up to get down to Blockhouse Island will pick up at around 2:45pm, traffic dependent. Service will restart from Blockhouse Island starting at 3:45 pm following Totality and will continue until 6:00 pm.

Washrooms:

Public washrooms are available in the harbour building (brown building) on Blockhouse Island. There is also a water bottle refilling station just inside the doors.

Additional port-a-potties and hand washing stations will be available at the Water Street parking lot.

Telescopes:

A dedicated telescope area will be located in the south west corner of Blockhouse Island. Anyone bringing a telescope who needs to transport it in a vehicle to the site due to its size must do so between 9:00 am and 10:30 am on April 8^th, and removal must take place after 5:00 pm. Parking on Blockhouse Island will not be permitted, so you will need to drop off your telescope, go park your car off site, and return to the site on foot. Your equipment will be unattended during this period, so you should also bring someone with you who can stay on site while you park your car.

Event organizers and sponsors

• The Aquatarium
• Royal Canadian Air Force
• Brockville Tourism
• City of Brockville

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Why will you want to be in Brockville to experience the eclipse?

• A total eclipse is a rare event, and only those areas that are in the path of totality will have the full experience. The last time that a total solar eclipse was observed in Canada was 1979, in parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, and northern Quebec.
• Brockville is in the path of totality and will experience a total solar eclipse.
• The path of totality will cross only a thin portion of Ontario (as shown on the map above), and only a small section of Canada. Cities outside of this path will only experience a partial eclipse.
• The 401 corridor between Montreal and Port Hope, including Brockville, is along the path of totality, and travelers along this stretch are likely to pull off of the highway during the eclipse in order to observe this phenomenon.
• Neighbouring communities to the north of us are not in the path of totality, and will only experience a partial eclipse, which means that we could see an influx of people from these communities who want to have the full experience. Nearby towns and cities that are not along the path of totality include: Merrickville, Smiths Falls, Perth, Kemptville, and Ottawa.
• Given our proximity to Ottawa (which is not in the path of totality) and our location along the 401, we can expect an influx of people on the day of the eclipse.
• View the map showing the path of the totality

Eye Safety during an eclipse:

Looking directly at the sun is never safe, and significant eye damage can occur when looking at the eclipse. Free solar glasses (sponsored by our partners) will be available for pick up in advance from the Aquatarium, and at our community event on site at Blockhouse Island (limited quantities available, maximum one per person while supplies last).

How to get your approved solar eclipse glasses:

The Royal Canadian Air Force, the Aquatarium, and Brockville Tourism have sponsored solar filter glasses that will be handed out on the day of the event, in advance to schools, and for pick up in advance from the Aquatarium.

• Main pick up location: Aquatarium Front Desk (main pick up location). Update: the Aquatarium is now out of stock
  • Pick up your glasses starting Saturday, March 23 at 10:00 am
  • Hours: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
• Other pick up locations: if you’re unable to make it to the Aquatarium, limited quantities will be available while supplies last at:
  • Brockville Police Station (2269 Parkedale Avenue). Update: the Police Station has handed out their supply of glasses. Please visit the Aquatarium to pick up your pair.
  • Brockville Fire Station Number 2 (360 Laurier Boulevard). Update: the Fire Hall has handed out their supply of glasses. Please visit the Aquatarium to pick up your pair.

Glasses will be available during business hours for all locations, with a maximum of 4 glasses per household. Glasses will also be distributed to Brockville and area schools. If your child will already be receiving a pair of glasses from their school, please help us ensure that we can protect the greatest number of eyes, and do not request glasses from the Aquatarium for your household that you will not need.

Eye Safety Notes:

• Approved Solar Eclipse Glasses: Available commercially, the glasses must meet International Standard ISO 12312-2 for safe viewing and must not be scratched or damaged before use. Check out this information sheet on safe viewing of an eclipse.
• Dark tinted sunglasses will not be sufficient protection (Canadian Association of Optometrists, 2022).
• If you decide to purchase your own glasses in advance, please be wary of online vendors selling faulty products. Make sure you are purchasing from a vendor who meets ISO 12312-2 standards. The American Astronomical Society has put together a list of certified vendors that is available on their website

Using your solar glasses:

The only time that the eclipse can be viewed with the naked eye is at maximum (when the moon completely blocks the sun), and only if you are located within the path of totality (if you will be in Brockville during the eclipse you will be in the path and will be able to remove your glasses at maximum). The light level at this time is roughly equivalent to looking at a full moon and is safe to look at, but only lasts a minute or two. The sun at any other time is dangerously bright and must be viewed through a special purpose solar filter.

You do not need to wear the solar filter glasses unless you are looking at the sun. You may still go about your day as usual, just don’t look up at the sun unless you view through your solar filter glasses.

If you won’t be in Brockville during the eclipse, check this map to see if you will be in the Path of Totality. If you will be outside of the Path, you will be observing a partial eclipse, which means that will not observe maximum (100% eclipse) and you must keep your glasses on for the entire viewing.

Viewing Conditions:

April does have a tendency to be cloudy and possibly rainy which would affect the viewing experience greatly. Even if the sun and moon are blocked by clouds during the eclipse, we would still experience the twilight conditions when the moon passes in front of the sun, casting our region into shadow.

The Brockville Arts Centre will still host their live streaming of NASA’s coverage even if our local conditions are not ideal.

Education:

• Learning opportunities have been provided for different grades by the Ontario Eclipse Task Force. They have created a downloadable education bundle: 2024 Eclipse Ontario Education Bundle which has safety information, leaning links, activities, and other great information targeted to each age group.
• For more information and other educational opportunities, go to the “Discover the Universe” website which has tons of information, downloadable info sheets, and videos about the upcoming eclipse.
• Check out NASA’s eclipse website