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Get Ready for the 2023 and 2024 Solar Eclipses
On Saturday, October 14, 2023, and Monday, April 8, 2024, North America will experience two solar eclipses. The October 14th solar eclipse will be a “partial eclipse” for Missouri, and a good chance to practice for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. On April 8, 2024, portions of Southeast Missouri will experience more than four minutes of “totality”, nearly double the length of totality of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse with all of Missouri experiencing a “partial eclipse”. To help you get ready for these amazing events, the Missouri Eclipse Task Force is hosting an “Expo” in Cape Girardeau that kicks off with a panel discussion on Friday evening, July 21st and ends with an all-day expo on Saturday, July 22nd.
Friday evening, July 21, 2023 – Panel Discussion
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM - FRIDAY NIGHT PANEL DISCUSSION
A panel of experts will meet to give their perspectives on the upcoming 2024 eclipse and answer questions from the audience. The public is invited to participate in-person or virtually. Doors open at
Cost: FREE and open to the public, no tickets required.
Participate In-Person:
Address: University Center Ballroom, 388 Henderson Ave, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Parking: Free parking available in the two parking lots west of the building and across the street from the first-floor entrance.
Door opens 6:00 PM
Participate Virtually: Join virtually
9:00 PM to 10:00 PM - NIGHT SKY OBSERVING
Southeast Missouri State University Department of Chemistry and Physics invites the public to a night sky viewing with their Portable Astronomical Observatory.
Location: TBD
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Saturday all-day, July 22, 2023 – Solar Eclipse Expo
On Saturday, July 22nd, an all-day Missouri Solar Eclipse Expo will be held at the 30,000+ square foot Show Me Center located on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO. Doors open at 10:00 am and close at 5:00 pm. Tickets are FREE if you pre-register, and $3.00 at the door. A variety of exhibits, educational programs, and activities are planned for the day including:
- Exhibits: 80+ exhibits featuring cities, schools, businesses, and civic organizations discussing their plans for eclipse day, where to stay, displays by eclipse experts, and vendors of astronomy equipment displaying their products.
- Educational stations: Activity stations for children with activities illustrating and explaining various concepts related to astronomy, eclipses, weather, and other sciences.
- Expert speakers: Two theaters of speakers featuring talks by eclipse experts, including NASA, covering a variety of topics including safe viewing techniques, how to take photos of the eclipse, weather predictions, and more.
- Solar Viewing: View the Sun through specially designed telescopes (weather permitting) Door prizes and handouts for attendees including free solar eclipse glasses.
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM - OUTDOOR VENDORS AREA
Vendors and community groups will have telescopes set up for solar viewing, equipment demonstrations, and host other activities outside of the Show Me Center front doors.
Location: Show Me Center Forecourt
Cost: Free and open to the public.
10:00 AM - EXPO FLOOR DOORS OPEN
Present your ticket to claim your goodie bag, including your free eclipse glasses and explore the exhibits! Take a look at the floor map to locate the exhibits that you don’t want to miss. Be sure to stop by the Customer Service Booth to obtain activity tickets for the interactive kids exhibits. First come, first served.
Location: Show Me Center Main Entrance
Cost: Free for tickets ordered in advance: Order yours here. $3.00/person for tickets on the day of the event
11:00 AM to 4:00 PM - MAIN SPEAKER AREA (Looking for sponsors)
A number of eclipse experts will speak throughout the day. Fred Espenak (Mr. Eclipse), a noted eclipse chaser and scholar, will talk about his experiences and what to expect from a total solar eclipse. Also, Grant Dade, our local KFVS weather personality, will talk about what we can expect from the weather on Eclipse Day.
Location: Show Me Center Floor
Cost: Free to Expo Ticket Holders
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM - SPACE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SPEAKER AREA
Are you interested in what causes eclipses and why they are such a big deal? Would you like to buy a telescope but just don’t know what you need? Do you want to know how to photograph the eclipse yourself? And have you ever wondered what causes all those spots on the sun, and how solar activity impacts us here on earth? These and a number of other questions will be answered throughout the day by noted experts and vendors who can help you prepare for a full day of eclipse activities.
Location: Show Me Center Main Floor, Science Speaker Area
Cost: Free to Expo Ticket Holders