A lot of New Mexico and a sizable chunk of its Route 66 will experience a near-total solar eclipse on the morning of Oct. 14.
The eclipse on that day is described as an annular eclipse — when the moon passes between the sun but is at or near its farthest point from Earth. As a result, the moon appears smaller than the sun and does not completely cover it.
This helpful map from NASA shows the peak of the annular eclipse — or 90% coverage of the sun — will occur in most of the western two-thirds of Route 66 in New Mexico.
The peak of the eclipse also will pass over Monument Valley — a popular side trip for Route 66 travelers — near the Four Corners area of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah.
The NASA website also gives times of the eclipse’s duration in numerous cities. including the Route 66 town of Albuquerque. There, the eclipse will begin at 9:13 a.m. local time, reach its maximum at 10:35 a.m. and end shortly after noon.
Route 66 just southwest of St. Louis experienced a total solar eclipse in 2017.
Another total solar eclipse in the U.S. is scheduled for April 8, 2024.
Alas, none of Route 66 will experience the peak of it that day, though less than an hour’s drive southeast of St. Louis will get you there.
(Image of an annular eclipse in 2012 by Hidetsugu Tonomura via Flickr)