A solar eclipse is one rare celestial phenomenon. Although some argue they happen in equal numbers as a lunar eclipse, most of the world agrees that lunar eclipses are more common than solar ones, per Timeanddate.com.
A partial solar eclipse is expected to happen today, April 30, giving you a perfect chance to witness one yourself. However, viewing the eclipse isn't as simple as looking at the sky while it happens.
Here are some tips for you to keep in mind to prepare yourself to safely view the solar eclipse today:
Things to Prepare
First and foremost, never look at the sun directly while the eclipse is happening without wearing protective eyewear. Doing so will allow your eyes to concentrate the sun's light and focus it on a very small spot on the retina, which is the back of your eye.
This simple act will burn your eyes, causing either permanent eye damage or blindness, per Exploratorium. You won't even know your eyes are burning from the inside because there have no pain sensors.
This damage happens because the light from the sun is more intense during a solar eclipse than when it is not, according to Arpansa. Expect larger amounts of infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, and excessive visible light, especially blue light, during a solar eclipse.
However, there are a few short moments when it is safe to look directly at the sun unprotected. These moments, which are known as "Totality," occur when the moon completely blocks the sun, giving you a window of a few seconds to a few minutes to look at the sun unprotected.
Despite this, and the fact that the solar eclipse today will be a partial solar eclipse, viewing the sun without protection is an act not worth the effort. We recommend that you use protective eyewear if you want to look at the sun directly.
A partial solar eclipse means that the moon won't entirely cover the sun.
Although these last longer than total solar eclipses, when the moon totally blocks out the sun, it still poses danger for your eyes.
How To Protect Your Eyes And Other Tips
If you wish to look at the sun directly during a solar eclipse, make sure you have "eclipse glasses." These glasses, which look similar to the 3D glasses you get at the cinema, are equipped with special-purpose solar filters that allow you to look at the sun directly anytime during the eclipse, according to NASA's safety page for viewing solar eclipses.
Should you wish to see the eclipse indirectly, you can make a pinhole projector that lets you watch the eclipse by projecting the sun inside a 6-ft. long box.
Another way of indirectly watching the eclipse is using two pieces of cardboard, with one of them having a one-inch hole with foil taped over it. This foil has a pinhole, so the light from the eclipse reaches the other (intact) cardboard.
You can also use your hands to watch the eclipse. For this, you'll need to form overlapping right angles using your fingers. You should form holes large enough for you to see the eclipse on the ground through the holes your fingers formed.
Last is looking at the eclipse through the shade of a tree. The tree's leaves and branches act like your fingers when they make overlapping right angles, allowing you to watch the eclipse on the ground.
You can also watch the eclipse online if you're able to. According to Space.com, you can watch the eclipse online through Timeanddate.com's YouTube webcast and live blog, with the lformer beginning at 3:30 PM EDT.
You can also watch teh eclipse online through the India-based channel Gyaan ki gareebi Live, which will begin broadcasting at 1:45 pm EDT. This channel will offer a view of the eclipse from Chile.
