The Annular Solar Eclipse happens on Saturday, October 14th this year. The moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun and will reach totality in the morning around the Western United States. If you haven’t experienced a Solar Eclipse before, it is one of the more amazing celestial events we get to witness, but we're sure you have questions on how to best view it. Where should I be? What glasses should I wear to protect my eyes? What should I plan for? We’ve gathered five Eclipse Viewing Tips to make sure you can view the eclipse in an epic and safe way.
Leading up to the solar eclipse, be sure to check the path of the eclipse to determine if you can see it from where you live or if you’ll need to travel to experience totality. Luckily for a solar eclipse, you don’t need to be far out in the wilderness to get a great view. All you need to do is find a place outside that has a clear view of the Sun and sky. Think of places like hillsides, large parks with no trees or your favorite campsite!
Watching a Solar Eclipse without proper eye protection can cause permanent damage to your eyes, because the sun is never fully covered by the moon. For safe solar eclipse viewing, invest in certified solar eclipse glasses or viewers. These special glasses are a thousand times darker than your best polarized sunglasses and are certified by international standards to safely protect your eyes. Remember that even if you are viewing the eclipse through a camera, binoculars, or a telescope without the right filters, it can cause severe damage to your eyes, so always wear eye protection!
The solar eclipse should last almost 3 hours from start to finish, so making sure you have a comfortable place to view it is a must. We suggest grabbing your Dually and using it as a daybed or couch for maximum comfort. Plus, you can store all your snacks, eclipse glasses and drinks in our tote bag, so you can focus on the sky with no interruptions.
One of the amazing things about a solar eclipse, is that at the peak of the eclipse, if you’re in the path of totality, the world gets dark like it’s night time. Planning ahead to have a light source like a lantern, headlamp or your phone’s flashlight is a good idea. Plus, you can store small light sources in the stash pocket of any HEST mattressso you have them handy in case you need to move around. Make sure to pack an extra layer as the temperature will drop once the sun goes behind the moon!
These spectacular moments only happen once in a while, so capturing memories of the eclipse is encouraged! Another piece of Solar Eclipse safety is getting a solar filter for your camera, these filters will protect your camera’s lens and eyes when photographing the eclipse. The solar filters work the same way eclipse glasses work for your eyes, just for your camera! Then work your magic on the settings side and you’ll have amazing pictures to look back on - try and snap a few of your stylish eclipse glasses on too!
Next 2024 Solar Eclipse:The Total Solar Eclipse will happen on Monday, April 8th. The moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun and will reach totality across the eastern part of the United States.
