Solar Eclipse Warnings You Need To Know Today

Monday’s solar eclipse will see 13 states across the United States plunge into darkness as the path of the moon crosses over the sun.

Expected to draw in hundreds of thousands of visitors across the nation, the path of totality starts in Mexico and moves across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, according to NASA. The eclipse will then enter Canada, where it will move across the country before exiting North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland.

State officials have issued health and safety warnings about how to view the eclipse and urged residents to stock up on supplies in case visitors overwhelm local roads and services.

To make keeping ahead of the news and alerts easier, Newsweek has put together a guide summarizing all the key information you need to know.

Emergency Warnings

State-of-emergency warnings have been declared across some parts of the U.S., based on concerns that the thousands of potential visitors may have about locations within the path of totality.

Disaster and state-of-emergency warnings have been declared in New York’s Essex County, Wayne County, Jefferson County, and Oswego County. In Texas, Kerr County, Travis County, Kaufman County, Bosque County, and the City of Killeen have issued similar declarations.

In Indiana, Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a statewide state-of-emergency alert ahead of Monday’s event. He said it was “anticipated the state of Indiana will see a significant influx of several hundred thousand visitors” which could lead to “widespread and significant impact placed on Indiana’s emergency response, transportation, communications and other critical infrastructure systems.”

In Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also declared a state of emergency, directing $100,000 to be made available to emergency planners.

In practice, a state of emergency empowers state governors to request state aid to support local resources. The concern is that many of the locations where visitors are expected to be flocking may not have the systems of infrastructure and support to cope with huge crowds.

In Oklahoma, the National Guard has announced its deployment to support local agencies and residents. The additional deployment of a Civil Support Team, part of the National Guard, led to a wave of online conspiracy theories debunked by Newsweek.

While other states along the path of totality have not declared similar disaster warnings, other preparations have been made. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine activated the state Emergency Operations Center on Sunday. Ohio’s emergency and state services are now reporting to the center to coordinate resources where needed.

School Closures

Schools in Texas, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont have said they will either close or release students early on Monday. Closures have been organized to minimize the impact on local services and infrastructure that authorities anticipate the eclipse will cause.

Newsweek has published a list of all school closures so far.

Warnings for Pet Owners

Pet owners have been told to keep their animals inside to avoid distress caused by large crowds. Although animals are unlikely to stare directly toward the sun, experts say the congregations of people could lead to fearful responses.

“That way they don’t get fearful when other people get very excited,” Chris Barry, a vet at Kindred Spirits Veterinary in Orrington, Maine, told local news channel WABI on Wednesday. “I am more worried about animals being outside and possibly getting anxious. More anxious being in a strange situation than not.”

Phone Warnings

NASA has said that anyone wanting to photograph the eclipse using their phone could end up causing damage to the image sensor if it is pointed directly at the sun.

Replying directly on X, formerly Twitter, to YouTuber Marques Brownlee, NASA said the risk is heightened when using magnifying lens attachments. The agency advised that the phones would need a filter like any other camera, suggesting using a pair of eclipse glasses in front of its lens “at any point other than totality.”

Anyone using telescopes and binoculars must also ensure they have proper solar filters too.

Viewing the Eclipse Safely

Whether you are in one of the states along the path of totality or traveling to see it, it is crucial to remember that directly looking at the sun during the eclipse can cause severe and permanent damage to the eyes.

Ultraviolet radiation can cause sunburn of the cornea, known as solar keratitis, possibly leading to solar retinopathy, when a hole is burned into the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye).

It is crucial to use proper eye protection such as solar viewing glasses or indirect viewing methods like pinhole projectors. These methods allow you to safely observe the eclipse without risking eye damage.

These glasses have special filters that block out harmful ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation.

“Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the sun. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard,” NASA advised in a post about eclipse safety.

Pinhole Camera Assembly

You can also create a pinhole camera using two pieces of stiff cardboard, some aluminum foil, tape, scissors, and a pin or needle.

First, take one piece of cardboard and cut out a small square or rectangle from the center. This will be the frame of your pinhole projector. Cover the hole with aluminum foil and tape it securely onto the cardboard.

Use a pin or needle to poke a small hole in the center of the aluminum foil. This will be your pinhole. Take the second piece of cardboard and place it on the ground or another flat surface. This will act as your screen.

Position the cardboard with the pinhole between the sun and the cardboard screen. Hold it so that the sunlight passes through the pinhole and projects an image onto the screen. Adjust the distance between the pinhole projector and the screen until you see a clear and focused image of the sun. The image will appear inverted but well-defined.

Alternatively, a box can be used to generate a similar image.

“Do NOT look at the sun through the pinhole!” NASA warns.