On Apr. 8, a once-in-a-lifetime celestial opportunity is coming to the Eastern United States. Cities like Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York are the perfect spots for viewing the total solar eclipse before the phenomenon goes dormant for another two decades.
Before you plan your trip, there is one thing to keep in mind: safety first. There are serious safety concerns when it comes to staring directly at the Sun. For a brief period of time called “totality,” you can look at the Sun with the naked eye as the Moon completely obscures it. Although looking at the eclipse unfiltered is tempting, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without eye protection outside of totality. The Sun may be partially blocked by the Moon, but you can still suffer from permanent eye damage. The Sun’s rays can burn your retinas which leads to loss of vision or blindness.
Special solar eclipse glasses will keep you safe and comfortable, and they will not block your view of the eclipse. The proper eye protection must meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard for guaranteed protection.
It is not safe to point your phone camera directly at the Sun either. Phone lenses are not manufactured to withstand solar rays, so the eclipse can interfere with the delicate technology inside.
Other viewing methods, such as looking through a pinhole or between your fingers are not safe either. Regular sunglasses do not filter out enough UV and IR radiation to protect your eyes. Make sure to order solar eclipse glasses ahead of time to be prepared for the event.
The closest impacted metro area to Raleigh is Cleveland, located in northern Ohio on Lake Erie. Cleveland is 8.5 hours away from the Triangle, but it may be a better idea to stay in a neighboring suburb for lower hotel and AirBnb prices. The next closest big city is Erie, Pennsylvania, another city on Lake Erie, and a 9.5 hour car ride from Raleigh. If you are open to driving a few more hours, the path of totality crosses through Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, Little Rock, Indianapolis, and Niagara Falls.
On top of regular things you would pack to go on an overnight trip, we recommend bringing certain items to make your eclipse viewing experience enjoyable. If you will be in the path of totality, wearing something warm is a necessity as the sky goes dark, even if just for a few minutes. As mentioned above, eclipse glasses are crucial to prevent eye damage. Although the sky will be dark during the actual eclipse, you will likely be in the Sun for the better part of the day waiting for the event to begin. Sunscreen and sunglasses are important for skin and eye protection, just like any other day spent outside.
The next time the contiguous United States will see a solar eclipse is in 2044, so this experience really is rare! For more information about planning out the logistics of an eclipse road trip, visit NASA’s website.
