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First ever Total Solar Eclipse is about to happen on 8th April 2024. This will be the last total solar eclipse visible to United States until 2044 making it special event. NASA has shared some insights and safety guidelines to watch this extraordinary astronomical event. Lets have a look at this event.

Table of Contents

• What is Total Solar Eclipse?
• Who can watch the Total Solar Eclipse? Location and Time.
• Safety guidelines while watching a total solar eclipse
• Eye safety during a total solar eclipse
• Direct Methods and Indirect Methods for viewing solar eclipse
• Summary

What is Total Solar Eclipse?

Total Solar Eclipse is the formation of eclipse in which Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, during this event Moon blocks face of the Sun completely. During this event the sky will go dark as all the sunlight from Sun is blocked, this darken the sky and it feels as if you are experiencing down or dusk, in other word sky goes completely dark.

Who can watch the Total Solar Eclipse? Location and Time.

This total solar eclipse is visible mainly in North America passing over Mexico, US and Canada. Mexico’s pacific coast will witness the totality at 11.07 AM PDT. This eclipse is not visible to rest of the world including India. This event will last for 2hrs 30 min long, This period calculated from partial begins and partial ends.

Safety guidelines while watching a total solar eclipse

Viewing any solar eclipse with naked is not safe or advised. you should know when you need to wear specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. There are three main phases of any eclipse called partial begins which occurs before totality, totality- when sun’s face is completely blocked by Moon and partial ends which occurs after the totality. During the totality event it is safe to look directly at the Sun because all the sunlight is blocked by Moon.

But other two phases where partial part of the Sun is emitting brighter sunlight which is very harmful for naked human eye. during the partial phases of the eclipse it is not safe to look directly at sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.

Watching bright sun using Camera lenses, binoculars or telescope not having special purpose solar filters will instantly cause severe eye injury. solar filter to be installed or placed in between sun and the camera, binoculars or telescope.

There are two ways to view solar eclipse while avoiding severe eye injury. First is using solar viewing glasses and second one is safe handheld solar viewers at all the time.

Eye safety during a total solar eclipse

• Use “Eclipse Glasses” or “Handheld solar viewers” to see partial phases of solar eclipse
• Before use always inspect your eclipse glasses for any potential damage, scratch or torn.
• Do not use if eclipse glasses are damaged, scratched or torn.
• Advise children for using handheld solar viewers.
• Do not look at sun through camera lenses, binoculars, telescope or any optical device while using eclipses glasses as concentrated solar rays
• coming out of any optical device may burn through the solar filters used in eclipses glasses resulting in sever eye injury.

Direct Methods and Indirect Methods for viewing solar eclipse

Direct method- Direct method allow to see solar eclipse while directly looking at the sun

• solar viewing glasses
• safe handheld solar viewers

Indirect Methods- Indirect method allow to see solar eclipse without directly looking at the sun.

• Pinhole Projector- Index card having a small opening, which projects image of sun on nearby surface.

In Short:
1. View Solar Eclipse through eclipse solar glasses or handheld viewer.
2. It is safe to view Sun directly only when Moon covers 100% of the sun face.
   This Phase called Totality.
3. Ensure Skin Safety during the eclipse.

Summary

The total solar eclipse is set to happen on 8th April 2024. It can be watched in United States, North America passing over Mexico, US and Canada region. It is advised to follow safety guidelines to watch this astronomical event. You can watch this Total solar eclipse on NASA’s official YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@NASA.

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