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Solar Eclipse Information
Two Eclipses Are Headed Our Way
There are two stellar events happening soon in the San Marcos area. Our community will get to experience the annular solar eclipse on Saturday, October 14, 2023 and a historic total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. The City of San Marcos has prepared this website as a resource to help keep residents, business owners, and visitors safe during these major events.
Check out what the eclipse will look like in San Marcos, Texas: San Marcos Eclipse Simulation.
- Eclipse Planning
- San Marcos C.I.S.D.
- Hays County Emergency Services
- AnNULAR vs. Total Eclipse
- Eclipse Information Map
Temporary Fuel Shortage & Supply Delays
People are encouraged to fill automobiles completely several days prior to the eclipse as increased demand and delivery disruption may cause temporary shortages.
Inventory Supplies
Order key supplies that can be stored in advance such as toiletries, food, medicine, and water. However, avoid over-ordering any supplies to prevent from negatively affecting supply and demand for our community.
Eye Safety During a Solar Eclipse
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.
Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.
Solar Eclipse Preparedness Kit
- Protective Eyewear
- Sunscreen and sunburn medication
- Drinking water
- Medications for 2-3 days
- Mobile phone and charger
- First-aid kit
- Cash (in case ATMS and credit card machines are down)
- Medical bracelets/IDs
- Insurance cards
- Trash bags
The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District will not host classes on April 8, 2024 for the total solar eclipse. Instead, it will be a teacher development day.
For questions, please contact San Marcos C.I.S.D. at (512) 393-6700
The Hays County Office of Emergency Management has compiled a few tips and ideas to help our residents, visitors and business owners enjoy the total solar eclipse while also being safe, smart and respectful.
To learn more visit the Hays County Solar Eclipse Information website.
Total Solar Eclipse*
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the center of the Moon’s shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun. A total solar eclipse is the only type of solar eclipse where viewers can momentarily remove their eclipse glasses (which are not the same as regular sunglasses) for the brief period of time when the Moon is completely blocking the Sun. The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. will be on April 8, 2024.
Annular Solar 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 around the Moon. The next annular eclipse in the U.S. will be on Oct. 14, 2023.
*NASA 2023, Department of Planetary Science Communications Website, accessed 25 September 2023, Solar System Exploration.
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Emergency Management
Mailing Address
630 E Hopkins
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: 512-393-8480Emergency Phone: 512-393-8480