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Millions of eyes will be looking to the sky Monday, which will bring a chance for many across North America to view a rare solar eclipse.
A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun from view and causing temporary darkness.
The type of eclipse you see on Monday will depend on where you are and what time you’re there. Unfortunately for many of us in Saskatchewan, we will only see a partial eclipse, with the moon obscuring about 40 per cent of the sun.
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Samantha Lawler, an astronomy professor at the University of Regina, spoke to Greg Morgan about the eclipse last week.
She said you’ll just need the right equipment to view the eclipse safely.
“The way that you can see this is with eclipse glasses or if you have a really good welding helmet – shade 14 or darker – you can use that to look directly at the sun,” said Lawler.
She said Monday’s eclipse will start in the west.
“It starts in Mexico and kind of sweeps up through Texas and across the southern part of the U.S. and then up into Toronto and Montreal, and then it ends kind of offshore of Atlantic Canada,” said Lawler.
From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, the University of Saskatchewan’s observatory in Saskatoon will be hosting an event where the public can view the partial eclipse and ask questions about the rare event.
A similar event will be held at the University of Regina from noon until 2 p.m., where the public will be able to ask questions.
Astronomers predict that an eclipse like this won’t come around again until Aug. 23, 2044, and we will have to wait until 2099 to see a total solar eclipse in Saskatchewan.
Eye doctor warns of possible damage from viewing eclipse
Regina optometrist Myles Bokinac said viewing the eclipse without appropriate protect can be harmful to your eyes.
“The powerful rays of the sun’s light can cause a burn in the retina,” said Bokinac. “Any amount of the sun that is still showing … would still do damage. If you look long enough, that damage can become permanent.”
Solar retinopathy, an injury to the eye’s tissue, can be compared to an intense sunburn on the skin.
Bokinac said the easiest and safest way to watch it is with special eclipse sunglasses.
But he warned the public to watch out for imitation glasses.
“There are, unfortunately, counterfeit ones out there,” he said. “Make sure they are well fit and protecting your eyes during the entirety of the eclipse so that your not getting any direct light around the edge of the glasses.”
–with files from 650 CKOM’s Brent Bosker
