On April 8, 2024, the sun will be blocked by the moon causing a complete solar eclipse. During this time, an individual will be able to see the corona of the sun, or the sun’s atmosphere for four minutes. Within the viewing path of this event known as the Line of Totality reside 35,000,000 people. While West Virginia is not directly in this pathway, citizens will still be able to experience 89 percent of the event’s major occurrences. In preparation, NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has distributed over 2,000,000 ISO (International Organization for Standardization) solar viewing glasses. To experience the full celestial accouterment without the risk of permanent eye damage one must wear these specialized spectacles. If unable to access these the eclipse may be monitored through a homemade pinhole projector or colander. However, you will not be able to directly look at the sun and moon. Additionally, a live broadcast will be available on NASA’s website from 1:00 pm -4:00 pm EST time featuring views from Mexico to New York.
The city of Beckley starts experiencing the eclipse at approximately 2:27 pm. Keeping pets and small children inside is critical, as they too are affected by the sighting of an eclipse. “Not wearing the proper eye protection in combination with the solar eclipse can cause permanent eye damage,” reports one NASA scientist. During the last solar eclipse in 2017, hundreds of individuals were inflicted by not wearing ISO-certified solar viewing glasses. When purchasing these celestial viewers online, NASA recommends experimenting with a flashlight to see how well they work. Turning your flashlight towards the spectacles filter should only cause a small visible, painless light towards the eyes. Proper eye protection will only reflect about .33 percent of visible light.
When driving during the solar eclipse, which is not recommended, the AAA, (American Automobile Association), suggests the use of a sun visor and refraining from the use of solar glasses. While total solar eclipses emerge every 18 months roughly, the United States of America will not see the celestial event for another 20 years.
