An Anticipated Event Finally Happening
An exciting event will be happening on April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be very visible in all of Illinois. Some parts of the state of Illinois and Indiana will see the full totality. This has been a very anticipated and highly talked about eclipse that people have been waiting on for years. On April 8, parts of the Midwest and a small part of Illinois will experience complete totality that will last around four minutes. Unfortunately, Chicago will not experience totality, but it will see about 95 percent coverage from the sun which is close enough to the full totality experience.
According to the Illinois DNR, the list of Illinois cities that will be experiencing totality are the following:
Carbondale, Makanda, Alto Pass, Fair Field, Olney, Golconda, Effinggham, Mt. Vernon, and Marion.
The totality path that this eclipse will take is going to start from Southwest of Texas then move Northwest of Illinois. This path will touch Illinois, central Indiana, and Indianapolis. Then, it will continue into Cleveland, Ohio, Buffalo, New York, and lastly Maine. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, The South part of Illinois is considered to be the solar eclipse crossroads of the United States. This is because it was in the path of totality back in the 2017 solar eclipse and it is in that path once again this year.
More Information On This Eclipse
This eclipse is said to begin at 12:30 p.m. which is when it will enter the country starting at Texas then make its way to the Northwest region. By 12:51 p.m. Chicago will be able to see some parts of this eclipse. However, the peak time in Chicago will be estimated to be around 2:07 p.m. In the beginning it will move slowly then gradually the shadow will pick up some speed. This solar eclipse will be last seen at Chicago after 3:22 p.m. While there are only a few states that will experience totality, almost all of the United States is going to be able to see at least some part of this solar eclipse.
The next solar eclipse seen by the United States will be until August 12, of 2045. However, the next ever solar eclipse to happen in Chicago having the path to totality will not be until August 4, 2111. Safe to say not many people that see this eclipse will be able to see that eclipse. It is important to remember that wearing solar eclipse glasses is highly recommended.
How To Keep Eyes Safe During the Eclipse
In order to keep people’s eyes safe during this eclipse it is important to purchase special glasses meant for this event. Regular sunglasses will not help. Experts say wearing the proper glasses for this event is critical, specially for anyone that is not within totality reach. Unfortunately, there are many scams out there selling fake solar eclipse glasses, which can put people’s vision in danger.
So here is how people can prevent purchasing a fake pair of eclipse glasses. There is no actual way to tell whether a pair of eclipse glasses is real or not. However, experts highly encourage people to buy their glasses from AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force. It is important that people do not use Amazon, eBay, or any other online marketplaces to purchase these glasses.
Viewing the Eclipse without proper glasses, can result in irreversible damage to the eyes within seconds. Human eyes lack the nerve endings to register pain while the damage is occurring, so by the time one notices it will be too late. The amount of light that is going to come from the sun during an eclipse is intense. However, anyone that is able to see the eclipse in the path of totality is safe to look at it with their eyes. Other than that, it is necessary to wear protection.
Written by Erika Cano
Sources:
NBC Chicago: The 1 place experts say you should buy your solar eclipse glasses from
NBC Chicago: Which Illinois cities will be in the ‘path of totality’ during the 2024 solar eclipse? Here’s a city-by-city breakdown
Great America Eclipse: Total Solar Eclipse over Illinois on April 8, 2024
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Nick Amoscato Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
