(ITHACA, NY, April 3, 2024) – Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) is reminding the community of important safety guidance regarding the upcoming solar eclipse that will occur on Monday, April 8, 2024. The eclipse is expected to begin at approximately 2:00 pm and end by 4:30 pm, with the full total eclipse occurring in our area between 3:15 pm-3:30 pm.
While Tompkins County falls outside of the “zone of totality,” the safety guidance remains the same, as the impact of looking at the sun while in a partial eclipse will still be damaging to the eyes without proper safety equipment. If your eyes are exposed to the sun without the appropriate protection, it can cause “eclipse blindness,” which can temporarily or permanently damage your eyes.
By adhering to the following safety steps, we can all safely enjoy this unique event in our region.
Keep Your Eyes Protected
- Do not look directly at the sun during the eclipse. In Tompkins County, we will only have a partial eclipse and the sun will not be completely covered by the moon. It will not be safe to look directly at the sun at any point in time anywhere in Tompkins County. To prevent severe eye damage, use only certified eclipse glasses when looking at the sun, or avoid looking at the sun altogether.
- If you travel to the zone of totality, you may briefly view the sun without protection only during the very limited time of totality when the sun is completely covered by the moon. To ensure you do not damage your eyes, check this interactive solar map for the precise time and length of totality for the area you will be in. It is still best to wear certified eclipse glasses as a safety precaution.
- Sunglasses will NOT protect your eyes. Use International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses from a trusted source. Further information about safe viewing, including a list of eclipse glasses suppliers, can be found on the American Astronomical Society website.
- Certified eclipse glasses are available for free, while supplies last, at all Tompkins County libraries. Please call the library before your visit as supplies have begun to run out. The libraries also have a variety of upcoming eclipse-related events and activities.
- If you wear eyeglasses, wear the eclipse glasses on top of your regular glasses. Wearing eclipse glasses under your eyeglasses is likely to result in severe damage to your eyes.
- Do not use eclipse glasses to view the sun through a telescope, binoculars, camera or any other optical device, as this can also result in severe damage to your eyes.
- Indirect Viewing Techniques: With the sun behind you, pass sunlight through a small opening (for example, a hole punched in an index card) and project a solar image onto a nearby surface (for example, another card, a wall, or the ground). Never look directly at the sun through an indirect viewing technique. One of the best ways to view a solar eclipse is through a pinhole projector where you look at an image that is projected onto a nearby surface, made through a pinhole in cardboard paper. Or even easier, grab a colander from the kitchen (not the mesh kind, the one with holes in plastic or metal), to project the solar image onto a nearby surface.
Don’t Forget the Sunscreen
- The sun throughout the day can be very bright, including during the partial phases of a solar eclipse. It can damage your skin, even in cooler temperatures or on a cloudy day.
- To help prevent skin damage, wear a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants if possible when outdoors.
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
- Sunscreen should be applied to dry skin at least 15 minutes before going outdoors.
Be Prepared While on the Road
- Traffic volume is expected to be very high on the day of the eclipse, especially after the eclipse has finished and travelers are leaving the area in the later part of the afternoon/early evening. Please use extreme caution if you must be on the road during the hours of the eclipse.
- Do not stop to view the eclipse along the roadway, especially interstates, parkways, and freeways. Choose a safe viewing destination off the road and arrive early to ensure you are ready for the big show!
- In the event of disruptions in cell phone service due to high volume of cell tower use, it is recommended you take a paper map with you if driving to unfamiliar areas, in case service disruptions impact your ability to rely on a mobile GPS system.
For additional safety tips, especially if traveling into the zone of totality to view the eclipse, see our press release from March 21, 2024.
For additional information about the solar eclipse in New York State, visit: https://www.iloveny.com/events/eclipse-2024.
Tompkins County Whole Health envisions a future where every person in Tompkins County can achieve wellness. Find us online at TompkinsCountyNY.gov/health, and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/TompkinsWholeHealth and on Twitter at @TCWholeHealth. Get Whole Health updates or other county announcements via email or text, sign up here.
Media contact: Shannon Alvord, salvord@tompkins-co.org
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