Come fly with the Moon’s shadow! Everyone inside the shadow will experience the breathtaking sight of the Sun’s corona during the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024.

This animation simulates a view of the total eclipse from a spacecraft 100 miles high, chasing the shadow along its arc.

 Total Solar Eclipse over Oklahoma on April 8, 2024

Southeast Oklahoma gets a total solar eclipse! Be prepared to see the greatest sight nature offers, a total eclipse of the Sun. Be sure to get inside the path of totality for the full experience.

Simply put, a total eclipse of the Sun is the most beautiful sight you will ever see in the sky. Nothing can prepare you for the amazing sight when the sky suddenly darkens and the Sun’s corona shines in the sky. No photograph can capture the stunning beauty of a total solar eclipse, you must see it for yourself. Learn about the basics of the solar eclipse at greatamericaneclipse.com/basics and find out more about the wonder of eclipses at greatamericaneclipse.com/splendor. Find your copy of this map here.

The entirety of Oklahoma inside the path of total solar eclipse is spanned by the Choctaw Nation, the 2nd largest Native American reservation in the United States. The cities of Idabel and Broken Bow are good bases for eclipse visitors, with Beavers Bend State Park and Broken Bow Lake being scenic locations offering camping options.

For eclipse viewing, mobility is essential especially in case of inclement weather. US route 259 gives north-south mobility in this area and to northern Texas. US route 70 provides east-west mobility.

The total solar eclipse visits Oklahoma on April 8, 2024 beginning at 1:44 pm CDT with the final exit of the Moon’s shadow from the state at 1:51 pm CDT. Through Oklahoma, the speed of the Moon’s shadow will accelerate from about 1680 miles per hour to about 1745 miles per hour.

Tips for viewing the eclipse

• Get your eclipse glasses early! They will sell out in the weeks before eclipse day. We offer eclipse glasses which are ISO 12312-2 certified and made in the USA at www.greatamericaneclipse.com/eclipse-viewing/eclipse-viewing-glasses

• Learn the simple methods to safely view a solar eclipse. Visit eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety for detailed instructions.

• Plan ahead. If you choose to stay in a hotel, be aware that most will sell out. A perfect guide to planning your eclipse is our field guide, greatamericaneclipse.com/books/field-guide-to-the-2023-and-2024-solar-eclipses.

• Get to your destination early and try to spend eclipse night at or near your viewing location. Expect the highways and freeways to be extra busy in the aftermath of totality.

• Be self-sufficient. Fill up your gas tank and bring food and water.

• Check the local TV weather reports as eclipse day approaches. The meteorologists will give you great advice on viewing the eclipse and whether you may need to relocate. We recommend eclipsophile.com as the essential site for eclipse meteorology.

• Unless you are an experienced photographer, we recommend that you not attempt photography during the eclipse. You will be so stunned that it will be difficult to operate a camera. If you choose to do photography, visit Fred Espenak’s MrEclipse.com for advice.

Animation of the Moon’s shadow

Our animation shows you exactly where the eclipse will be total, moment-by-moment. The maximum duration shown is for locations along the very center of the eclipse path. This animation is built using data from retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak (eclipsewise.com) and eclipse expert Xavier Jubier (xjubier.free.fr). You may freely share our maps and animations on social media and web sites, we just ask for a live link to our website.

Eclipse weather in Oklahoma

The essential eclipse weather website eclipsophile.com describes the situation as this: “Through Oklahoma, Arkansas, and most of Missouri, cloud cover along the track axis varies through a 5 percent range, between 54 and 59. It is not until the eclipse shadow is almost in Illinois that cloud amount reaches above 60 percent.” They note how mountainous and hilly terrain affect the weather odds and read that website for details. 

Our advice is to stack your odds by paying attention to short-term weather forecasts and if poor weather is forecast, jump in your car very early on eclipse day (or the evening before) and drive either to the southwest or northeast to chase after clear skies. You will never regret the effort to seek out a clear view of a total eclipse of the Sun, it will register in your memory all your life.

How many people will come to Oklahoma to see the eclipse?

As the total solar eclipse in 2017 proved, the eclipse will be a magnet for millions of people across the nation. We’ve analyzed population distributions and the national road network and present our rough estimate of how many people will come to Oklahoma for the eclipse. Learn more about our methodology at greatamericaneclipse.com/statistics.