A solar eclipse will be visible for Scouts and families in Garden State Council on April 8, 2024. Although New Jersey is not in the path of totality, we should be able to see about 90% of the eclipse at about 3:25 pm. The next solar eclipse visible in the U.S. is not until 2044.
Scroll down for a list of resources for safe viewing tips, crafts, jokes, and the requirements for earning a glow-in-the-dark fun patch!
Patch Requirements
- Locate a site suitable for viewing the eclipse. Search Google for “eclipse viewing” and the name of your city or town to find events near you.
- Describe how to safely view the eclipse.
- Discuss with your group what you saw and felt during the eclipse.
- Do the following:
Cub Scouts: Discuss what a solar eclipse is with your leaders.
Scouts BSA: Draw a diagram of the positions of the moon, earth, and sun to show how the solar eclipse occurs.
Venturers: Research Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington’s 1919 experiment and discuss how it confirmed Einstein’s theory of general relativity. - Ask your unit leader to buy the 2024 Solar Eclipse fun patch from the Garden State Council Scout Shop.
Eclipse-Viewing Resources
Project: How to Use a Shoebox as a Solar Eclipse Viewer, Scout Life Magazine
Safety Moment: “Are Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Safe?”, Scout Life Magazine
Jokes: “15 Funny Solar Eclipse Jokes for Kids”, Scout Life Magazine
Viewing in New Jersey: “Solar eclipse 2024 path: When and where to see the daytime sky turn dark,” NJ.com
Viewing and Eclipse Details with New Jersey Specifics: timeanddate.com