Dark Side of the Moon

On April 8, a shadow falls over Ohio. The temperature drops between 10 and 15 degrees, and the bright light of day is extinguished. Animals might act abnormally, calling out as if the night has fallen early. An event like this might sound a bit alarming — or even scary — to students and kids. Thankfully, there’s a scientific explanation for all the strangeness: a total solar eclipse. 

“During a total solar eclipse — and the last one [in Ohio] was in 1806 — the moon is going to move in front of the sun and block out all the sunlight,” explains John Shulan, president of the Summit County Astronomy Club. “It’ll take from about 2 to 4 o’clock for the moon to move all the way across the face of the sun.”  

The club puts on programs at the public Fairlawn Rotary Observatory — part of Bath Nature Preserve — including presentations for kids’ groups such as the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Sometimes members even allow high school volunteers to operate one of the observatory’s 10 telescopes, furthering their interest in science. 

“The import is for kids to be curious about the world,” Shulan says. “They’re interested in learning, because it’s a big universe, and there’s a lot of questions to ask.”

He expects large crowds to gather for the eclipse April 8, especially at the observatory, which is open for public viewing. Some visitors may even come from out of state to chase the path of totality, during which the sun is completely blocked and the shadow of the moon falls onto Earth. On April 8, totality over The 330 is set to last from about 3:13 p.m. to 3:17 p.m. 

“Being that the sun’s in a fairly active cycle, it can be very exciting,” Shulan explains. 

A partial solar eclipse occurred in Northeast Ohio in 2017 — but seeing that version, during which the moon only blocked part of the sun, is much different than experiencing a full one.  During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely covering its face. 

“It will be a ring of fire,” Shulan says. “During the period of totality … the moon is going to block out almost all the sunlight, but the corona, which is the outer atmosphere of the sun, will go beyond past what the moon blocks out.” 

Being able to see an eclipse is weather-dependent. Should the sun not be visible — and for those who want to watch from home — Shulan plans to make a livestream of the eclipse available starting at 10 a.m. April 8. Even with cloud coverage, it’s important to protect your eyes with specialized glasses while observing. Multiple telescopes for viewing, including a Hydrogen Alpha scope (also known as a solar telescope) and over 1,000 free smaller viewers are set to be available at the observatory April 8. 

“We’ll have handheld viewers that kids can hold — they’re lightweight,” Shulan says. If you do plan on taking children to view the eclipse, make sure that they keep protective gear over their eyes for the entire spectacle.

The eclipse itself is a rare occurrence for those lucky enough to see it. Shulan is preparing to keep the observatory open as much as possible in the days leading up to and following the event. 

 “If everything works out right,” Shulan says, “it’s going to be something you’ll only see once in your life.” 

Editor's note: Keep protective glasses on for the entire eclipse starting at around 2 p.m. See this video for more details: https://www.facebook.com/kentstate/videos/816309943258903 

Eclipse Viewing Tips 

Dress Code: Because it will get colder during the solar event, it’s important to think ahead and dress in layers.

“You have to dress appropriately,” Shulan says, “because whatever the weather is, remember the temperature’s going to drop at least 10 degrees during the total eclipse if it’s clear out.”

Solar Safety: Staring directly at the sun — even if it’s partially covered — can permanently damage your vision. To view the total solar eclipse safely, look through black polymer lenses — either in the form of a card held up to your eyes or a set of paper glasses. You can also view the event — and boiling plasma of the sun — through a Hydrogen Alpha scope (aka solar telescope) at Fairlawn Rotary Observatory April 8. 

“Our Hydrogen Alpha scope reduces the wavelength of light that we see … it blocks out 99 percent of the light and still gives a very bright image,” Shulan says. “Solar filters and solar scopes are very specifically designed for that, and same with these handout viewers.” 

Shulan recommends checking your eclipse viewers for an International Organization for Standardization label to determine whether the product meets the ISO 12312-2 safety standard for solar protection.  

Sun Block: Even in the spring, when the sun doesn’t feel as strong, ultraviolet light can still damage your skin — and goes right through clouds.

To demonstrate this effect to kids, Shulan hands out ultraviolet-sensitive beads he obtains from NASA. They change color when exposed to UV, showing students that clouds don’t block out the sun’s rays — and that sunblock is an all-weather necessity when outdoors.

“The sun is very damaging because the ultraviolet light gives you a sunburn, which is a precursor for getting cancer,” Shulan explains. 

Make sure to apply at least 30 SPF sunscreen before beholding the celestial phenomenon.