Today, April 8th, a total solar eclipse will be going across North America. It is said to be going on for a duration of 4 minutes and 27 seconds and be witnessed by millions of people. Did you know that’s almost double of The Great American Eclipse that occurred on August 21, in 2017.
What happens during a solar eclipse you might be wondering, well, according to NASA.gov, “A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People viewing the eclipse from locations where the Moon’s shadow completely covers the Sun – known as the path of totality – will experience a total solar eclipse. The sky will become dark, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the Sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun.” Remember if you are wanting to look at the eclipse, wear the appropriate eye wear! How can you know what is appropriate to wear? Well, according to “Total Solar Eclipse Safety” by NASA, it’s stated, “When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. NASA does not approve of any particular brand of solar viewers.” There are many online shops known to sell fake certified eclipse glasses, which are huge danger to the health of a persons eyes, therefore it is recommended that one buys certified glasses with proper certification, which more information can be found on the NASA website!
Want to track down the eclipse? Well, the following link shows a visual it: https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024
