WHAT IS THIS "TOTALITY" THAT I KEEP HEARING ABOUT?
On Monday, April 8, 2024, the United States will experience a rare celestial event: a total solar eclipse, which some are calling "the totality". For a few brief hours, the moon will travel in front of the sun, blocking it completely anywhere in the total eclipse path (see image below).
The U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department's page has a tool to calculate when the eclipse will begin, peak and end for various locations that you enter. Entering "Saugerties" as the location , results in what you see on the left. So if you stay in Saugerties, you'll only get a 95% eclipse experience.
Start time in Saugerties: 2:11 p.m. EDT
Maximum eclipse in Saugerties: 3:26 p.m.EDT
Eclipse ends in Saugerties: 4:36 p.m. EDT
(UT1 times shown in the Naval Observatory tool output for Saugerties on the left, minus 4 hours, equals EDT.)
WHAT IS THE PATH?
NY Time Totality article: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/science/total-solar-eclipse-maps-path.html?unlocked_article_code=1.fU0.orPb.eYqv3iApY9Dr&smid=url-share
How Can I Check My Location?
ARE MY EYES IN ANY DANGER, IF I PEEK AT IT?
If a location only affords a view of the partial solar eclipse, some of the sun's powerful light will always be visible. And any glimpse of the sun's brightness with the naked eye is not only uncomfortable, it's dangerous. Sunglasses alone are not enough to protect your eyes during this celestial event.
The only time it's safe to view the sun without eye protection is during the "totality" of a total solar eclipse, or the brief moments when the moon completely blocks the light of the sun, according to NASA.
Directly staring at the sun can result in blindness or disrupted vision. (During the 2017 total solar eclipse, a young woman was diagnosed with solar retinopathy, retinal damage from exposure to solar radiation, in both eyes after viewing the eclipse with what doctors believed were eclipse glasses not held to the safety standard. There is no treatment for solar retinopathy. It can improve or worsen, but it is a permanent condition.)
"You need certified ISO 12312-2 compliant solar eclipse glasses. There are plenty of safe sellers online," said Alex Lockwood, strategic content and integration lead for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters. "We cannot stress enough how important it is to obtain a pair of safe certified solar eclipse glasses in order to witness this annular event."
WHERE CAN I GET GLASSES TO VIEW THE ECLIPSE?
I did some investigating (not exhaustive, by any means) of whether some of the rumors about who in Saugerties might be providing glasses for the eclipse. One of my main checks was with The Orpheum. They indicated they are not providing/selling such glasses.
The other possibility I heard about was the Saugerties Public Library. It turns out that they are holding an event on the day of the eclipse. It's called "Eclipse Experience" and it begins at 3:15 p.m., in the library's backyard. They have spare glasses and fun tools to use for safe viewing. The public is invited to come have fun with other enthusiasts. All ages.
The safe, general statement is that the special glasses or other safety equipment needed are available online. A good guide to the best equipment to view the eclipse can be found on this page.
WHERE IS THE TOTALITY BEST VIEWED?
In Saugerties, as mentioned above, we are not exactly lined up to see the total eclipse, in its totality. The "obscuration" as the U.S. Naval Observatory people call it, is 95%. So close to full, but no cigar.
This page on astronomy.com -- https://www.astronomy.com/observing/how-to-see-the-2024-eclipse-times-livestream-and-a-state-by-state-guide/ -- explains some places (including Burlington, VT and Buffalo, NY) where (weather permitting on April 8th) you WILL see the totality view of the total eclipse. It also provides a good summary of other things to know about this eclipse.
The image (above right) posted along with this brief write-up is from the astronomy.com page.
HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
The total phase of the eclipse begins on April 8th at 12:39 p.m. EDT, a bit more than 620 miles (998 km) south of the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean. The umbra remains in contact with Earth’s surface for 3 hours, 16 minutes and 45 seconds, until 3:55 p.m. EDT when it vanishes in the North Atlantic Ocean 340 miles (547 km) southwest of Ireland.
From the point of view of anyone in its path, the maximum length of totality when viewed from a single point is 4 minutes 28 seconds.
WHAT IF I MISS THIS ONE?
Our April 8, 2024 total eclipse is the last one for quite some time. The next eclipse to touch the U.S. will happen March 30, 2033. Aside from being almost a decade away, the line of totality for that eclipse will only cross parts of Alaska. The next eclipse to sweep across the 48 States is two decades away. On August 12, 2044, parts of Montana and North Dakota will experience totality.
HOT TIP FROM LOCAL ASTRONOMER BOB BERMAN
In his recent talk as part of the great line-up of events at The Local, astronomer Bob Berman mentioned that for a short while before and a short while after the totality (when you are using your safety glasses or some kind of other viewing gizmo to view the eclipse) ... you can enjoy an rare, remarkable view of the landscape around you by turning around, away from the sun, and looking behind you, without the glasses. He mentioned it, so it must be something interesting. But again, as you do ANY of this viewing, any time you look at the moon and sun overlap, (other than the totality), you should be wearing your safety glasses or using some other equipment, to ensure safe viewing. And if you're viewing the eclipse from Saugerties, you will not experience the totality, so use appropriate equipment when viewing.