2024-04-07 16:00:07
Millions of people along a path that starts from Mexico to the United States and then Canada will be able to watch the total solar eclipse that will occur next Monday.
The solar eclipse is expected to last approximately four and a half minutes, with the moon completely blocking the sun, a natural phenomenon that is not without danger for those wishing to witness this rare event.
According to the US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the eclipse begins on April 8 over the South Pacific Ocean, and its path reaches the Pacific coast of Mexico at about 11:07 am Pacific time before entering the United States in Texas.
Its path then passes through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, a very small part of Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and a small area of Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
The path then enters Canada in Ontario and travels through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, and exits continental North America on the coast of Newfoundland on the Atlantic Ocean in Canada, at 5:16 pm Newfoundland time.
The partial eclipse is scheduled to be visible to people in all forty-eight contiguous US states.
Experts warn that it is unsafe to look directly into the bright sun without using specialized eye protection designed for looking toward the sun’s rays.
According to these experts, viewing the eclipse through a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope without using a special solar filter can expose the eye to harmful sunlight and cause damage.
They are advised to use safety glasses or hand-held sunglasses, noting that regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the sun.
They emphasize that the only moment when eye protection can be safely removed is during a total solar eclipse, which is the short time during which the moon completely obscures the surface of the sun.
According to advice published on NASA’s website, viewing any part of the bright sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope without a solar filter designated for this purpose will immediately lead to severe eye injury.
Tips for a partial eclipse
A partial or annular solar eclipse differs from a total solar eclipse, as there is no period of the total eclipse in which the moon completely obscures the bright face of the sun.
Therefore, during a partial or annular solar eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the eclipse without proper eye protection.
Eclipse glasses are not regular sunglasses, because regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the sun, as safe solar projectors are thousands of times darker, according to NASA.
The agency advises those wishing to watch the event to inspect eclipse glasses or a portable projector before use, to see if there are scratches or damage to one of the parts, and therefore they should not be used at all.
It is also advised not to look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a portable solar viewer, because concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.
Tips for total eclipse
The Sun should be viewed through eclipse glasses or a portable solar projector during the partial eclipse phases before and after totality.
The eclipse can only be viewed directly without proper eye protection when the Moon completely obscures the rising face of the Sun, during the short but stunning period known as a total eclipse.
It is safe when no part of the sun can be seen through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer.
Once you see even a little of the bright sun reappearing after a total eclipse, you should immediately put on eclipse glasses again or use a portable sun viewer to look at the sun.
Last updated: April 5, 2024 – 22:58
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2024-04-07 16:00:07