An eclipse hunter frames the eclipsing sun using a neutral density filter to show its crescent moon … [+]
If you’re planning to watch the total solar eclipse through the narrow 115-mile path of totality on Monday, April 8, it’s essential to know what to expect and how to get the most out of the experience. Eclipse chasers have their own unique ways of enjoying the event, from knowing when to pee to how to scan the eclipsed sun for incredible sights. Here’s a closer look at what seasoned eclipse chasers will (and won’t) be secretly doing on Monday:
NOTE: This article only applies to those on the path of totality, shown on this map (below). If you are not on the path of totality (which you can control this interactive map, this eclipse simulator and to that eclipse look then you will only see a partial solar eclipse, which requires solar safety glasses at all times and is not rare or unusual.
1. Look a little at the partial phases
There is so much fuss about safety sunglasses that many (most?) believe it is dangerous to go outside without them. However, eclipse hunters barely use them. If you’re in the path of totality, then the main attraction is not seeing the sun partially eclipsed by the moon (yawn!), but the fully eclipsed sun, which is perfectly safe to look at and no brighter than a full moon.
Eclipse chasers wait for that moment, so aside from a quick peek through solar safety glasses to see how the moon moves past the sun, they’ll barely be visible. In fact, the most important thing about “C1” or “First Contact”—when the moon begins to eclipse the sun—is that this is the perfect time to go find a bathroom. Besides, there’s only about 75 minutes left!
2. Audio recording
So many would-be eclipse watchers rave about photographing totality. Sure, there are professionals out there who are passersby. Besides that alone being a good argument for not bothering yourself, it’s also a fact that the most memorable thing about experiencing totality is the atmosphere. This is best recorded with audio. Set your smartphone to record audio just before totality and let it run, asking people for their on-the-spot reactions right after totality. It’s a recording you’ll cherish forever, unlike that photo you painstakingly took at the cost of missing the actual eclipse… which will look more or less similar (if you’re lucky) to the official NASA images released a few hours later later .
3. Take ASsilhouette Selfies
The only picture worth taking that will truly take you back to the experience of totality is not a picture of the eclipse itself, but of you and your companions watching it together. A picture of your silhouette watching the eclipse is something to appreciate. It’s best created by placing your smartphone on a small tripod behind you, setting it to wide-angle, and letting it record 4K video. Then you have audio and video in one—and you can easily export a still image later.
4. Use binoculars
Absolutely any pair of binoculars will do—but you have to know when and when not to use them. Find some, borrow them and put them around your neck. Other than focusing them on something far away before the eclipse, you can forget all about it until it gets dark and totality begins. Put them on your eyes and… wow! The solar corona up close is a sight to behold – and it’s no brighter than a full moon. If you intend to use them to inspect partial phases, you MUST use special solar filters on your binocular objectives. Use them ONLY in the eclipse when it is total and no part of the sun’s bright disk is visible. If you want to be extra safe, wait until it’s very dark and use them for 30 seconds or a minute (depending on how long it takes in total where you are).
5. Talk about the Sun as a clock
“Ledges, 3 o’clock!” or the like is a common abstention from the knowers during the whole. If you hear this, think of the sun as a clock face and look at where the imaginary clock hand would be. Your reward will be the Prominence, an astronomical name for a large, bright feature that extends outward from the sun’s surface. They appear bright pink during totality and extend to the crown. It’s a sight to behold! As with the last total solar eclipse on April 20, 2023, the protrusions may sometimes appear as loops.
6. Dark-Adapt Eyes Before Total
Not all eclipse chasers do, but some swear by buying it. Put a patch on one eye or wear red welding glasses an hour or so before the set. When totality begins, remove them and you’ll have dark-adapted eyes. You will see the solar corona appear larger and brighter than anyone else around you. The sacrifice is not seeing the partial phases in advance — but that’s okay because you can check it after totality as the eclipse goes backwards.
7. Shed Some Tears
Moments of wholeness are rare and, for many, require enormous sacrifice. Eclipses travel vast distances at great expense. Why; Wholeness can be a marker in human life. It is a moment of such power and grandeur that it can be as important and as important as births, deaths and marriages in a person’s life. When you look back on your life, it is one of the few moments that you will remember clearly. So if you see people crying—whether they’ve just experienced a beautiful totality or, worse, it’s blurred, missing something they know is so special—don’t be surprised. Be jealous that they have found a way to connect directly with nature.
I’m an eclipse expert—its editor WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and its author The Complete Guide to the Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024. For the latest on the total solar eclipse—including travel and accommodation options—check out my main stream for new articles every day.
I wish you clear skies and open eyes.
