Solar Eclipse Safety

The Great North American Eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, 2024. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely or partially covers the sun.

In Toronto, a near-total solar eclipse is expected between 2:04 p.m. and 4:31 p.m., with the peak happening at 3:19 p.m. That’s when most of the Sun’s light will be covered by the Moon. Since this occurs when many people are returning home from work, coming to work to start their shift, or outside while completing their work, it is important to plan ahead and take precautions.

Watching a solar eclipse is a memorable experience, but looking directly at the sun is dangerous and can cause serious harm to your eyes. While you may not feel anything, staring at the sun for even a short time without wearing the right eye protection can permanently damage your vision.

 

solar eclipse safety tips

 

How to Protect Your Eyes During Solar Eclipse

• If you wish to view the eclipse, you must wear specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing (https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters) that meets International Safety Standard ISO 12312-2. Do not use sunglasses, as the shade is not dark enough to protect your eyes from direct sunlight.
• Never look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other similar devices, including a smartphone. This is important even if you are wearing eye protection, as the intense solar rays coming through these devices will damage the solar filter and your eyes.
• If you are driving during the eclipse, be mindful of others around you. They may not be aware of what is happening and may become startled, causing erratic driving. Keep your eyes on the road, keep the proper distance from others on the road, use a sun visor to block out the sun, and make sure your headlights are on ahead of the total eclipse.
• If you are traveling to or from work during the eclipse peak hours, make sure to provide ample time for travel and exercise safety precautions.
• It is also important to keep a close eye on children during a solar eclipse. Their eyes let in more light to the retina than adult eyes, so they are at an increased risk of harm if they look at the sun without proper eye protection.

 

To learn more about proper safety precautions and safe ways to experience or view this eclipse, visit the following websites:

Safety – NASA Science
(https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/)
Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters | Solar Eclipse Across America (aas.org) (https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters)
You may also watch the eclipse live:
https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/livestream
https://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/public-outreach/eclipse-2024/ (Pre-registration required to watch live stream)

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