NASA Details Plans For April’s Total Solar Eclipse And Safe Viewing

Over the course of about an hour, people in 15 states across America will experience up to four and half minutes of darkness when the Moon blocks the Sun. The only part of the Sun that will be visible in the path of totality will be the its faint outer atmosphere, known as the corona. Those outside the path of totality will experience a partial eclipse.
The states that will have the privilege of viewing the total solar eclipse are: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and small portions of Tennessee and Michigan.
In order to safely view the eclipse, onlookers need to arm themselves with the proper eyewear. Ordinary sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing an eclipse. NASA suggests looking for eyewear that complies with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Another option is to use a pinhole projector, which provides an indirect viewing method, and does not involve peering directly into the Sun.
To make the search easier, here are two options that meet the standard:
- Solar Eclipse Glasses (12 pack) currently 35% off for $10.99.
- Medical King Solar Eclipse Glasses (10 pack) currently 25% off for $14.99.
Another NASA--funded project, led by Laura Peticolas of the Sonoma State University, is a citizen science project, simply called the Eclipse Megamovie. The project has already selected and sent tracking mounts to over 70 individuals who will be stationed along the path of totality in the US and Mexico. Along with seeking out other volunteers to photograph the event, the group is also seeking volunteers with experience in databases, Python coding, and machine learning to help process the images and reveal hard-to-spot changes in the corona.
The total solar eclipse briefing is scheduled to begin at 10am EDT on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. It can be viewed live via NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency’s website.