NASA issues urgent solar eclipse safety warning ahead of celestial event

NASA has issued a warning as a solar eclipse is set to plunge millions into darkness. On April 8, many US residents are expected to travel to see the total eclipse of the sun. However, experts advise caution when viewing.

The weather event will cross twelve states next Monday afternoon, starting from Texas and ending in Maine. It’s estimated that 215 million US adults, which is 88% of US adults, watched the previous solar eclipse in 2017, either directly or on screens.

The full total solar eclipse will cause midday darkness for people along a narrow path. Those outside this path can still see the moon pass in front of the sun.

As different states announce their viewing conditions for the big day, eye experts have warned that potential damage may not be “worth the risk”, reports the Daily Star.

Health News Florida reports that the sun’s bright rays, even during a solar eclipse, can burn cells in the retina. These cells don’t have pain receptors, so you can’t feel the damage happening.

The only safe way to watch the solar event is reportedly with licensed ‘eclipse’ sunglasses. “Please, please put those glasses on,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

After the 2017 eclipse, a woman in New York who watched the event without the right eye protection started seeing a black spot in her vision. Doctors found retinal damage in the shape of a “crescent”, matching the shape of the eclipse.

Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, a Mount Sinai ophthalmologist, said: “The dark spot she was describing was in the shape of a crescent.”

Doctors warn that even a few seconds’ glance at a solar eclipse can cause permanent damage. After the 2017 solar eclipse, US eye doctors saw an increase in patients, according to Florida Health News.

Some states will have a better view of the bright event than others. Unfortunately, Texas is not one of them. The National Weather Service in Dallas predicts only a 15% chance of good viewing conditions.

Marc Chenard from the Weather Prediction Center told USA TODAY: “Cloud cover is most likely in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.”

Meteorologist Matt Lanza suggests New York as the best place to see the solar eclipse. He wrote on his blog The Eyewall: “If I’m picking a place right now, it’s probably like Watertown, New York.”

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