Total Solar Eclipse: An Opportunity to View Something Special

By Mark Okrant

News about the approaching total solar eclipse is spreading fast. But, what is a total eclipse, and where are the best places and ways to view it? The next total solar eclipse will be on Monday, April 8, 2024. It will be visible across North America and is being dubbed the Great North American Eclipse (also the Great American Total Solar Eclipse and the Great American Eclipse).

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the image of the Sun for viewers on Earth. A TOTAL solar eclipse occurs when the Moon’s perceivable diameter is larger than the Sun’s, blocking all direct sunlight from striking the Earth, thereby turning daylight into darkness. Totality occurs only in a narrow path across the Earth’s surface. Elsewhere, the solar eclipse will be partial, and visible over a surrounding region that covers thousands of miles.

Next year, the total solar eclipse will be occurring the day after perigee (perigee will be on Sunday, April 7, 2024).

Perigee is the point of orbit of the moon when it is nearest to the earth. Because of the relative nearness of those two celestial bodies, the Moon’s apparent diameter will be 5.5 percent larger than on average—or enough to fully block the sun for a maximum of four minutes along a specific path between southwest Texas (including parts of San Antonio, Austin, and Fort Worth), while passing through northern Vermont (including Burlington), northern New Hampshire (with Colebrook the largest in-state community in its path), and Maine’s Mount Katahdin.

This will be the first total solar eclipse to be visible in Canada since February 26, 1979, the first in Mexico since July 11, 1991, and the first in the U.S. since August 21, 2017 It will be the only solar eclipse in the 21st century where totality can be observed in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Also, it will be the last total solar eclipse visible in the Continental US until August 12, 2045

This is an amazing opportunity for residents and visitors to this state, as the northern third of New Hampshire will be experiencing this incredible phenomenon. However, to view a total eclipse of the Sun, one must be situated inside the path of totality. Meteorologists tell us that a total eclipse of the Sun is the most beautiful sight we will ever have the opportunity to see, when the sky suddenly darkens, and the Sun’s corona shines visibly.

For eclipse viewing, mobility is essential, especially in case of inclement weather. US route 3 is the major northsouth highway in this part of New Hampshire. The total solar eclipse will visit New Hampshire on April 8, 2024 beginning at 4:28 pm, with the final exit of the Moon’s shadow from the state at 4:31 pm.

When viewing the solar eclipse safety precautions are a must! Viewing a partial solar eclipse without protection can expose your eyes to the sun’s rays causing severe damage. Exposing your eyes to the sun without proper eye protection during a solar eclipse can result in “eclipse blindness” or retinal burns, also known as solar retinopathy. This exposure to this light can cause damage or even destroy cells in the retina

(the back of the eye) that transmit what you see to the brain. This damage can be temporary or permanent and occurs with no pain. It can take a few hours to a few days after viewing the solar eclipse to realize the level of damage that has occurred. Among the eye symptoms that may occur from looking at a solar eclipse without proper eye care are loss of central vision (solar retinopathy), distorted vision, and altered color vision.

To safely watch the solar eclipse, readers are strongly advised to wear glasses that meet safety requirements and are manufactured with the ISO 12312-2 standard. These must be worn at all times while watching any annular or partial solar eclipse. During a partial or total solar eclipse, such as the one on April 8, 2024, looking directly at the Sun is unsafe except during the brief total phase, when the Moon entirely blocks the Sun’s bright face, which happens only within the narrow path of the totality of the event. So, take advantage of this rare lifetime opportunity to view nature at its finest, but be certain to take the necessary precautions.