Everyone is anxiously awaiting the solar eclipse. Be safe and follow these tips

Roughly two years ago I sat in a meeting with some colleagues from Hardin and Darke counties. They were all excited about plans being made for the solar eclipse. I had no idea what they were talking about.

April 8, 2024, seemed like an incredibly long time into the future to prepare for a minutes long event. But taking note of what Kentucky and other states experienced during the eclipse in 2017, emergency management officials wanted their Ohio communities to be prepared for a huge influx of visitors.

The path of total darkness is 124 miles wide and will stretch across 13 states. An estimated 31 million people live in this path. It includes cities like Dallas, Little Rock, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Rochester. The point that will experience the longest total duration of the eclipse in Ohio is Avon Lake, just east of Cleveland in Lorain County. They are anticipating the population of Lorain County to increase to more than 1 million people to witness the nearly four minutes of darkness.

Coshocton County is just outside the eclipse totality area. Licking, Knox and Holmes counties are all considered in the partial totality area. The eclipse will take about 2.5 hours. The moon will begin to pass in front of the sun around 2 p.m. and the eclipse will be over at 4:30 p.m. The most complete part of the eclipse will happen for us around 3:13 p.m.

According to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, total solar eclipses occur roughly every 1.5 years somewhere on earth. But since the establishment of the United States, only 21 total solar eclipses have crossed the lower 48 states. The last total solar eclipse visible in Ohio was more than 200 years ago and the next one in Ohio will be in 75 years.

OSU Extension specialists have put together some great resources for adults and youth to learn more about the solar eclipse. You can find these lessons and resources at ohio4h.org/solareclipse. These include instructions for activities to explore shadows and even make a pinhole camera.

Here are some safety tips for eclipse glasses and solar viewers from Cynthia Canan, Ohio’s 4-H STEM Specialist. and Wayne Schlingman, Director of the Arne Slettebak Planetarium at Ohio State University:

● Always inspect your solar filters before use. If scratched, punctured, torn or otherwise damaged, do not use them.

● If you normally wear eyeglasses, keep them on. Put your eclipse glasses over them or hold your handheld viewer in front of them.

● During the eclipse, cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses before looking at the sun. After looking, turn away before removing your glasses.

● Do not look at the sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical devices while using eclipse solar filters because the concentrated rays could damage the filter and your eyes.

● The only time it is safe to remove your eclipse glasses is during the total phase of a total solar eclipse. This may only last for a brief time, so be careful.

● Supervise young children to ensure eclipse glasses are secure. To ensure a snug fit, try attaching ribbons or elastic bands to the glasses.

If you are looking for glasses and viewers to purchase, the best option is to check the American Astronomical Society's list of safe suppliers of solar viewers and filters. Ensure that glasses and viewers have evidence they comply with ISO 12312-2, the international safety standard for solar filters. Note this isn't a foolproof plan, as the ISO approval logo can be counterfeited.

Today I’ll leave you with this quote from Elvis Presley: “Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away.”

Emily Marrison is an OSU Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Educator and may be reached at 740-622-2265.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Be safe while viewing the solar eclipse