Solar Eclipse 2020: How and when to watch the July Ring Eclipse

The eclipse ring will begin at 9:47 p.m. ET (4:47 UTC) on June 21 and will cross a lean trail that begins at sunrise in Africa and eventually crosses into China before ending with a sunset over the Pacific Ocean. The peak will be at 14:40 on the start (6:40 UTC) and end around 4:32 in the morning ET (8:32 UTC).

A partial eclipse will begin at 11:45 p.m. ET (3:45 UTC) on June 20, and ends at 21:34 ET (9:34 UTC) on June 21.

It will be visible over central Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, northern India and south-central China, Young said. A partial eclipse will be seen over much of Asia, Africa, southern and eastern Europe, northern Australia and parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, he added.

And of course, the weather allows it, so hopefully the skies will be clear.

The whole eclipse will last about 3.75 hours, but the duration of the passage through individual locations will be the same about a minute and a half. During the climax, this will actually shorten to just over 30 seconds.

How to watch

Although this is not a total solar eclipse, the eclipse still needs to be observed using safety measures.

“Because the sun is so incredibly bright, it’s still too strong to be seen with unprotected eyes,” Young said. “For use with telescopes or binoculars, you need safe solar glasses or special filters.”

Every look at the sunlight is not only uncomfortable – it is dangerous. Looking directly at strong sunlight can cause damage to the retina, the part of the eye sensitive to light. Even the slightest amount of exposure can cause blurred vision or temporary blindness. The problem is that at first you won’t know if it’s temporary.

Whether you’re using cardboard eclipse glasses or a hand card with one rectangular view, the most important feature is the filter. Check that the tinted glasses comply with the international safety standards ISO 12312-2. Eclipse glasses can be worn over ordinary glasses.

To check safety, the only thing you can see through a safe solar filter is the sun. If you look through the sun and it’s too bright, out of focus, or surrounded by a hazy fog, or if you can see things like ordinary lamps in the household, the glasses aren’t safe.

If you are tempted to reuse eclipse goggles three years old or older, they are made before the international safety standard is in effect and come with a warning that says you cannot look at them for more than three minutes at a time. That should be dismissed, according to the American Astronomical Society.

Astronomers without limits supply glasses

Remember when a total eclipse erupted in the U.S. from August to the coast in August? Millions of Americans have used eclipse glasses to safely watch the historic “eclipse of the century.”

Astronomers Without Borders and partner Explore Scientific have launched an attempt to collect eclipse glasses after that fact. More than a thousand collection centers across the U.S., including schools, museums, national parks and police stations, have helped recycle the glasses.

They were then sent to a nonprofit group, Northwest Arkansas Space, to be inspected by a nonprofit group, so they could wear them again.

More than 5 million glasses have been collected, and Astronomers Without Borders is distributing them to areas where future solar eclipses will be visible.

About 16,000 of them were sent from the U.S. to Ethiopia so that people on their way to the ring eclipse could see them with certainty. Officials from Lalibela in northern Ethiopia distribute the cups directly to households across the city and nearby villages. And volunteers are literally spreading megavans through the streets via megaphones to share glasses and provide them with safety information.

This is similar to the way they shared protective supplies in the middle of a pandemic.

“Living in such uncertain times, we hope that by sharing through space and time the experience of witnessing the natural beauties of a solar eclipse, we will be able to help transcend boundaries and bring the sense of peace and togetherness that is needed these days.” , said Zoe Chee, interim CEO of Astronomers Without Borders in a statement. “Thanks to the generosity of so many people across the United States, we are excited to be able to provide access to this wondrous celestial phenomenon to those who would otherwise miss it.”

Safety comes first

If you plan to observe an eclipse through a camera, telescope, or binoculars, buy a solar filter to place at the end of the lens. But don’t wear sunglasses while inspecting them. Concentrated light will pass right through the filters and cause eye injuries.

Here are some safety tips to keep in mind, according to the American Astronomical Society: