Viewing the total solar eclipse? Experts say it's all or nothing
AVON LAKE, Ohio (WJW) — On April 8 in Ohio, Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Avon Lake is literally going to be hallowed ground during total solar eclipse.
The church grounds are in the very center of the path of totality.
"That's what I have heard that the line literally goes through right here, so that's pretty exciting," said Pastor Laura Kuntz.
"We expect a lot of people to be right here, the lake is right across the street, we are right on the line, so we expect a lot of people to be coming into the city," she added.
Many "eclipse chasers" believe that the only place to witness a total solar eclipse is from that center line.
"Eclipse chasing is a thing, kind of like storm chasing, but less dangerous and more expensive," said Dr. Angela Speck, a co-chairperson for the American Astronomical Society's Solar Eclipse Task Force.
"If you are not in the path of totality, you do not experience a total eclipse," she told Nexstar's WJW.
The path of totality will run first through Texas, then up through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Slivers of both Tennessee and Michigan also fall into the path of totality.
Outside of that path of totality, she explained, there is no such thing as a 99.9% total eclipse.
"Even if you are only just outside by just a couple of miles, and it says 99.9% of the sun is covered up, that means you still have .1% of the sun showing, which is a thousandth of the sun, and that's still too much light," explained Speck.
As the moon blocks the sun's light during the eclipse, locations experiencing totality will be plunged into darkness, Nexstar's WSYR explains. Stars will become visible, street lights could turn on, and the temperature will drop — it will feel like you've fast-forwarded into the middle of the night. That won't exactly be the case outside of the path of totality.
You'll also have the best chance of seeing the sun's atmosphere, or corona, while in totality. You won't need any sophisticated scientific equipment — just your eyes.
Experts say to wear eclipse glasses to avoid damaging your eyes, but if you're in the path of totality, you'll only need to do that before and after the eclipse. For the few minutes that the moon entirely blocks out the sun, those in the special path can take off their eclipse glasses.
"There's no such thing as a 99% total eclipse," said Dr. Rick Feinberg of the AAS, during a recent press seminar shared with WJW. "There is such thing as a 99% partial eclipse. There's no such thing as being 99% pregnant. It's all or nothing, so that's why you should get into the path."
And Speck says you do not need to be right on the center line of the path of totality to witness a total eclipse.
"The closer to the center of that path you are the more time you get in darkness," said Speck.