On April the 8, citizens of Cleveland, Ohio and the surrounding cities are in for an astronomical treat being in the direct path of totality of the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse. This will be the last total eclipse that passes through the USA until August 2044, so be sure to plan ahead for this once in a lifetime event.
The most important thing to remember when talking about solar eclipses is never look directly into the sun while the eclipse is underway. Doing so can cause permanent retinal damage, which can vary between distorted vision, altered color, loss of vision, or even blindness. This can happen in a matter of seconds, and doesn’t hurt because the retina has no pain receptors.
There are safe ways to look at the sun in ways that won’t damage the eyes of the viewer. When it comes to the eclipse, regular sunglasses just don’t cut it. Safe solar viewers are significantly darker than regular sunglasses, and need to comply with international safety standards. A list of trustable vendors are available on this site: https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters
There are also indirect methods to view the eclipse. These include the pinhole projection, optical projection, sun funnel, the sunspotter, and solarscope. For more in depth information: https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/projection
The only time it is safe to look at the sun is when the moon has completely blocked out the sun during a brief moment known as totality. According to NASA’s official eclipse safety site, “You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the Sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer.” The predicted time for totality is from 3:13 p.m., ending at 3:17 p.m. During this time, it should be safe to view the sun without glasses.
With such a rare event taking place, many people want to celebrate. Students of BBHHS are already making their plans for the spectacle. 61% of students have plans to go somewhere with their families, but 31% of students plan to just ignore it and go about their day as normal.
Most students plan to get together with others, whether it be friends, family, or neighbors. One brings up the many programs put on by the Cuyahoga County Public Library branches throughout many surrounding cities. Brecksville’s own branch will host an Eclipse Celebration event open to all ages. Registration opens on March 8, so it is advised to sign up quickly to ensure a spot in the program. Registration can be done here: https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/events?v=list&start=today&end=2024-05-31&term=Eclipse
However citizens enjoy the eclipse, the most important thing to remember is to stay safe, having fun is a close second.
