The upcoming solar eclipse offers music fans the chance to sync the climax of Pink Floyd’s 1973 masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon with a rare celestial event.
On April 8, the moon will completely cover the sun for up to four and a half minutes along a path of totality that covers 15 states from Texas to Maine.
If you time it correctly, you can listen to Dark Side’s closing line – “And everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon” – just as this spectacular display occurs above you. Here’s how to do it.
Step One: Do Not Look at a Solar Eclipse Without Proper Eye Protection
Don’t mess around here. You can do permanent damage to your eyes by looking directly at a solar eclipse. Be sure to use only ISO 12312-2 certified solar viewers. As NASA warns, “Do not look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.”
Step Two: Find Out Exactly When the Eclipse Arrives
The solar eclipse will travel west to east across North America beginning at 10:57 a.m. PDT and ending at 4:47 ADT. You can watch the video below or visit NASA.gov or NationalEclipse.com to find out exactly when the totality arrives at your viewing location.
Step Three: Figure Out the Proper ‘Dark Side’ Start Time
To maximize the musical and emotional impact of the moment, you should listen to the entirety of The Dark Side of the Moon as part of your 2024 solar eclipse experience. To do so on Spotify, you’ll need to start the album 41 minutes and 53 seconds before the start of the total eclipse in your location. If you’re listening on CD, vinyl or another streaming service, there may be slight variations in the running time, so be sure to check ahead. You also might want to make sure in advance that you won’t be interrupted by any ads.
For example, at UCR headquarters in Akron, the total eclipse is scheduled to start at 3:14:14 p.m. EDT. So we’ll be starting The Dark Side of the Moon at 2:32:21 p.m. EDT.
If you’re pressed for time, you can simply start the album’s closing song, “Eclipse,” 70 seconds before your local total eclipse start time.
Pink Floyd Album Art: The Stories Behind 19 Trippy LP Covers
Typically created by designers associated with London-based Hipgnosis, the images work on a parallel track to frame the band’s impish humor, wild imagination, sharp commentary and flair for the absurd.
Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
