Canada will witness a rare celestial event this year that you won't want to miss.

The total solar eclipse will be visible from the country on April 8, 2024, and for some, this will be their only chance to ever see it.

To make the most of the eclipse experience, here are the best places in Canada to watch the total solar eclipse:

What is the total solar eclipse 2024?

The total solar eclipse will be an event you won't want to miss, and on April 8, 2024, the moon will pass between the sun and the earth, completely blocking the face of the sun, and when this happens, the sky will darken for a few minutes.

The solar eclipse will be a once-in-a-lifetime event for some - according to the Canadian Space Agency, Quebec has not seen a total solar eclipse for more than 50 years (1972), and the next eclipse will be after more than 80 years (2106).

However, not everyone in Canada will experience a total solar eclipse - the path of the total eclipse will pass through a few provinces in the country, and not every city in these provinces will have a full eclipse.

Outside the areas where the total eclipse occurs, viewers will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse.

Best places to watch the total solar eclipse in Canada

Here are the provinces scheduled to be in the total path, and the cities within them provide some of the best viewing opportunities

Ontario

Many cities in southern Ontario are scheduled to be in the path of the total eclipse, and Niagara Falls will be one of the best places in the area to watch the eclipse, with the total eclipse duration expected to be 3 minutes and 32.4 seconds, one of the longest in the province.

To celebrate, Niagara Parks plans a multi-day event featuring interactive talks with experts from NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, a mobile planetarium, and more special programs and activities.

Waverly Beach in Fort Erie will have the longest total eclipse duration, with the total eclipse expected to last 3 minutes and 45 seconds, making it a great place to get the full eclipse experience.

According to Destination Ontario, other major viewing areas in the province include Point Pelee National Park, which will be one of the first communities to see the eclipse.

Hamilton will also be a good place to watch, where the shadow will pass over the southeastern edges of the city at 3:18 PM, and Kingston is preparing three viewing sites where visitors can enjoy on-site activities and even get

free solar eclipse glasses.

Unfortunately for those living in Toronto, the city will not be in the path of the total eclipse; however, a partial solar eclipse will be seen

at 3:19 PM.

Quebec

Many cities in Quebec will be in the path of the total eclipse, and in Montreal, only those living in the downtown area will be

in the total path.

In the city, Jean Drapeau Park plans to host a free eclipse viewing event, with experts from the planetarium and space to educate and distribute 150,000 free sunglasses to attendees.

Residents of Montreal and the Greater Montreal area are also invited to watch the eclipse for free at the Montreal Science Centre.

The eclipse will begin in Montreal at 2:15 PM and will last totally for 1 minute and 25.8 seconds.

The city of Sutton, located in the Eastern Townships region of Quebec, will experience one of the longest durations of the total eclipse, expected to last 3 minutes and 30 seconds.