(KWTX) - A popular misconception is that total solar eclipses are a rare event. On average a total solar eclipse is visible somewhere on earth every 18 months.

What is rare is for the same location to have a total solar eclipse multiple times.

The last time a total solar eclipse passed through Texas was in 1878, making the total solar eclipse on April 8 a once in a lifetime event!

Path of Totality:

With much of Central Texas being in the direct path of the total solar eclipse many cities will experience totality, the moon completely covering the sun. Here are just a few of the Central Texas cities that will experience totality during the eclipse.

Belton
Chilton
Clifton
Gatesville
Killeen
Marlin
Mart
Mexia
Lampasas
Lorena
Temple
Waco
Whitney

Total Solar Eclipse Path Across Texas - April 8th(Great American Eclipse)

Eclipse Duration:

With much of Central Texas being in the path of totality people will get to experience totality for multiple minutes. Across Central Texas, the eclipse is expected to start a little after 12:00 p.m. and end around 3:00 p.m.

Lampasas will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 26 seconds
Gatesville will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 25 seconds
West will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 21 seconds
Whitney will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 21 seconds
Clifton will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 19 seconds
Killeen will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 16 seconds
Waco will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 16 seconds
Lorena will experience totality for about 4 minutes and 6 seconds
Belton will experience totality for about 3 minutes and 57 seconds
Temple will experience totality for about 3 minutes and 55 seconds
Mart will experience totality for about 3 minutes and 47 seconds
Chilton will experience totality for about 3 minutes and 38 seconds
Mexia will experience totality for about 3 minutes and 20 seconds
Marlin will experience totality for about 3 minutes and 14 seconds

Drive Times:

Here is a look at estimate drive time for anyone looking to drive from Waco to another city for the eclipse event on April 8. Keep in mind these estimates are not accounting for potential traffic.

West - 23 minutes
Mart - 24 minutes
Temple - 38 minutes
Marlin - 31 minutes
Whitney - 42 minutes
Gatesville - 44 minutes
Belton - 46 minutes
Killeen - 1 hour and 3 minutes
Lampasas - 1 hour and 27 minutes
Dallas - 1 hour and 29 minutes
Austin - 1 hour and 47 minutes
San Antonio - 3 hours and 6 minutes

Ecliptionary:

KBTX in Bryan-College Station has compiled a list of eclipse related terms that may be helpful to know ahead of the eclipse.

Total Eclipse: A solar eclipse where the apparent diameter of the Moon is large enough to cover the Sun’s photosphere completely, revealing a faint solar corona at totality.
Annular Eclipse: A solar eclipse where the diameter of the Moon is too small to completely cover the Sun in Earth’s sky. At mid-eclipse, the Sun appears as a as a blindingly bright ring surrounding the Moon.
Corona: The Sun’s upper atmosphere, visible as a pearly glow around the eclipsed Sun during totality.
Eclipse Magnitude: The fraction of the Sun’s surface area covered by the moon.
Eye Safety: It is never safe to look at a partial or annular eclipse without the proper eye protection like a solar viewing card or glasses.
New Moon: The phase where the near side of the Moon is completely unlit; solar eclipses can occur only at New Moon.
Partial Eclipse: A solar eclipse where the Moon covers only a portion of the Sun.
Penumbra: The lighter outer region of the Moon’s shadow; an observer in the penumbra sees a partial solar eclipse.
Photosphere: The visible part of the Sun’s surface where it emits light.
Pinhole Projector: A device that projects an image of the Sun through a pinhole.