Do not look directly at the sun without protection
Here’s what you need to know
- A total solar eclipse will be visible in parts of Canada on April 8th.
- The best place to view the eclipse is eastern Canada.
- It is dangerous to look directly at the sun.
- If you watch Eclipse, you must wear special eye protection to avoid the risk of vision loss.
- To learn more about the upcoming solar eclipse, keep reading.
One of the most unusual natural phenomena on earth will soon be visible to some Canadians.
A total solar eclipse will occur on April 8th.
For those in its path, the sky suddenly darkens during the day as the moon passes between the sun and Earth.
At that moment, the moon blocks out the sunlight that would normally feel like daytime.
The total solar eclipse will only be visible in parts of eastern Canada, within a very narrow path from southern Ontario through Quebec to New Brunswick, P.E.I., and Newfoundland.
In Nova Scotia, only the Meat Cove region of Cape Breton experiences totality. This is when the moon completely blocks the sun.
But don’t worry. Although less spectacular, other parts of Canada can also see a partial solar eclipse, where the moon blocks some of the sun’s light.
Read on to find out how to safely view a solar eclipse.
Watch this video for an overview of the science behind solar eclipses.
When and where can you see a solar eclipse?
This will be the first total solar eclipse since 2017.
Approximately 44 million people live within the 185-kilometre-wide road that stretches from Mazatlan, Mexico, to Newfoundland.
The path of the solar eclipse will cut diagonally across North America.
Western Canada will see a partial solar eclipse early in the morning.
The last total solar eclipse was on August 21, 2017, right here in Casper, Wyoming. (Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
People in eastern Canada will have the best chance to see a total or near-total solar eclipse.
It will begin at approximately 2 p.m. local time in Ontario and near 4:30 p.m. local time in Nova Scotia.
This is a graph showing how much solar eclipse is visible in each region.
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Although it may be tempting to look at the sun during a solar eclipse, you should not look directly at the sun without eye protection.
The sun is so bright that it can damage the tissues at the back of the eye, causing temporary or permanent vision loss.
In October 2022, a young girl in Pristina, Kosovo, wears special glasses to view a partial solar eclipse. To safely view the eclipse, she must wear special glasses. (Image credit: Armend Nimani/AFP/Getty Images)
To view the eclipse safely, you must use specific glasses that are labeled as meeting the requirements of ISO 12312-2.
Regular sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection.
Some companies make glasses specifically for viewing solar eclipses.
Teens sell eclipse glasses to help endangered butterflies
You can also make a pinhole projector that allows you to see the eclipse reflected on the ground.
If you don’t have access to eclipse viewing glasses, you can make a pinhole projector from common household items. (Image credit: Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty Images)
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