In a few weeks, on April 8th, the long-awaited total solar eclipse will arrive.
Written by Gary Boyle
backyard astronomer
In a few weeks, on April 8th, the long-awaited total solar eclipse will arrive.
If you stand on a particular path that is 185 kilometers wide, you will witness the moon completely covering the sun.
If you follow the center of this path, totality will be up to 3-4 minutes.
The trail begins in Mexico, crosses the border through Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont, and ends in Maine.
In Canada, residents of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, P.E.I., and parts of Newfoundland will also be witnessing this amazing event.
The rest of Canada and the United States will only see a partial solar eclipse.
Although advantageous in the east, Vancouver will also receive up to 17 per cent of the sun.
Never look at the sun without a solar filter.
When purchasing certified eclipse glasses, be sure to purchase from a trusted telescope retailer. However, many items are out of stock.
Never use do-it-yourself hacks found online, as they can cause eye damage, if not blindness.
Sunglasses are great for things like driving or walking, but they should never be used to look directly at the sun.
If you can’t find eclipse glass, you can also use #14 welding glass.
If you use a telescope, binoculars, or camera, be sure to place a filter in front of it to reduce the sun’s glare before magnifying or imaging.
Never place the filter behind the eyepiece as the concentrated sunlight will act as a laser and melt the filter and unfortunately your eye.
It can also damage or melt your camera or smartphone sensor.
If solar filters or welded glass are not available, you can use a simple spaghetti or vegetable strainer, or just about anything with small round holes.
Raise a kitchen tool about a foot off the ground and observe the moon’s many semicircular projections as it moves in front of the sun.
Since you won’t be looking directly into the bright solar disk, you can safely take photos of the projection.
A pinhole camera made from a cereal box is a great project for kids.
Plans can be found online.
There are many public viewing events scheduled by dedicated astronomers using solar telescopes, so check to see if one of these is happening in your area.
This is a great opportunity to look through a telescope and learn about the sun.
It is safe to see when the moon completely covers the sun along the path of the eclipse.
Although solar filters and solar telescopes are designed to examine the star’s surface during the day, the outer corona is only visible to the human eye during totality.
This appears as a halo around the sun.
Look for the bright planets Jupiter at the 11 o’clock position and Venus at the 5 o’clock position.
Pay attention to how long your area’s totality is listed to know when to hold up the filter before the bright sun emerges from behind the moon.
With the above safety precautions and good luck with the weather, it will be a moment you will never forget.
Please feel free to email me with any questions through my website.
Sunny sky.
Gary Boyle, known as the “Backyard Astronomer,” is an astronomy educator, guest speaker, former monthly columnist for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and STEM educator. He has been interviewed on over 55 of his radio stations in Canada and various television stations in Canada and the United States. In recognition of his public activities in astronomy, the International Astronomical Union awarded him the designation of Asteroid (22406) Gary Boyle. For more information, visit wondersofastronomy.com.
