– Exposure to harmful UV rays during a total solar eclipse can lead to sunburn
– The window of totality during an eclipse only lasts about four minutes
– Wear sunscreen when viewing the total solar eclipse, and also consider bringing other items like solar eclipse glasses, a pinhole camera, and snacks.
Even during a total solar eclipse, exposure to harmful UV rays can lead to sunburn. The window of totality, where the sun is completely eclipsed, only lasts for a maximum of four minutes. It is important to wear sunscreen when viewing the total solar eclipse to protect your skin from UV light. Even if there are clouds, UV rays can still penetrate through them, increasing the risk of sunburn after the totality window passes.
Christin Burd, a professor at The Ohio State University, emphasized the importance of sunscreen during the eclipse, as the unblocked UV rays can be intense and cause sunburn quickly. For those who are only viewing a partial eclipse, sunscreen may not be necessary, but it is still recommended for longer exposure times. In addition to sunscreen, other items to bring to view the total solar eclipse include a pinhole camera, bug spray, snacks, binoculars, sunglasses (not for looking at the eclipse), solar eclipse glasses and filters, camera equipment, and a notebook for observations.
Protecting your skin from harmful UV rays is essential during the total solar eclipse, even during the brief window of totality. Remember to wear sunscreen and take necessary precautions to avoid sunburn and other skin damage while viewing this astronomical event.