BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NC – March 27, 2024 – On April 8th, a partial solar eclipse will pass through Buncombe County so it’s important to be safe if you are looking up to see it. The moon will pass between the earth and in front of the sun during daylight hours so that the sky will appear to be darker. A total solar eclipse will travel a path across North America from coast-to-coast, beginning at Mexico’s Pacific coast, entering the U.S. at Texas, continuing to Maine, and passing through the eastern part of Canada. Most everyone in North American will be able to see at least a partial eclipse. In Buncombe County, the partial eclipse will last for 2 and one-half hours beginning at 1:52 pm. The maximum coverage will be 87% at 3:09 pm. The spectacle will end at 4:26 pm. However, the eclipse can become hidden from viewers below if the weather doesn’t comply and clouds can get in the way.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the sun is completely obscured by the moon except for a ring of light projecting from the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona. The complete shadow of the total eclipse pathway will be over 100 miles wide and total darkness will last between 2-5 minutes. A partial solar eclipse occurs at the margins of the complete shadow. The moon will obstruct more of the sun in areas that are closer to the path of totality.
The moon passes between the sun and the earth to create a total solar eclipse every 1-3 years. However, the shadow of a total eclipse usually travels over nonpopulated zones of the earth like oceans or the polar regions. Therefore, the U.S. does not frequently see many coast-to-coast solar eclipses. The last ones were in 2017 and almost one hundred years earlier. The next coast-to-coast eclipse in the U.S. will occur in 21 years.
Never look directly at the sun without special equipment that can block the harmful ultraviolet rays. Permanent damage to eyesight can occur by looking at the sun for 100 seconds, less than 2 minutes, without proper protection. Looking at a partial eclipse, even a sliver of the sun, with the naked eye, glasses, regular sunglasses, a camera, binoculars or telescope may permanently damage the retina of the eye causing blurred vision or blind spots. The damage is delayed by a few days so you won’t know right away if your eyes have been injured.
However, you can view the eclipse safely by using proper eye protection against direct sun light. Special eclipse glasses must comply with current international standard ISO 12312-2. These special glasses must not be scratched, torn or damaged. You may wear the solar eyewear over your normal glasses. Don’t forget to cover your eyes before you look at the sun and wait to take the special glasses off after turning away from the sun. Viewing a partial solar eclipse with cameras, camera phones, binoculars and telescopes will concentrate the sun’s rays, therefore, increasing damage to the eye. They must be used with a special solar filter to prevent injury while viewing a solar eclipse. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has a list of recommended North American filter and eyewear suppliers on their website at www.eclipse.aas.org. According to the AAS, you can get the special glasses at Walmart, Lowe’s, and Staples. If you travel to see the total eclipse, you can remove the special glasses for a few minutes when the sun is completely covered except for the corona.
Pinhole cameras were recommended for viewing a solar eclipse before the emergence of solar viewing glasses in the 1970’s. Pinhole cameras are safe because they give an indirect view of the eclipse without any direct viewing of the sun’s harmful rays. They are easy to make with 2 sheets of paper, aluminum foil and tape. The directions are on the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory website at www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/how-to-make-a-pinhole-camera
Listen to the full report below:
Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, healthyasheville@ashevillefm.org