Solar Eclipse 2024: Where to Watch in South Florida, Precautions to Take
South Floridians will have a chance to witness a solar eclipse on April 8 beginning at about 1:55 p.m. with the midpoint coming at about 2:30 p.m.
Here are a few precautions to take when viewing a solar eclipse:
Viewing a solar eclipse can be a mesmerizing experience, but it's crucial to take precautions to protect your eyes and ensure your safety. One of the most important precautions is to never look directly at the sun during an eclipse without proper eye protection. Even during a partial eclipse, the sun's rays can cause serious damage to your eyes. Use certified solar viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard.
If you don't have proper eyewear, you can still enjoy the eclipse indirectly. One safe way is to use a pinhole projector to project an image of the eclipse onto a surface. Simply poke a small hole in a piece of cardboard and hold it between the sun and a second piece of cardboard, allowing the sun's image to project through the hole onto the second piece of cardboard.
It's also important to protect your camera or smartphone when capturing the eclipse. Use a solar filter over the camera lens to prevent damage to the equipment. Never use binoculars or telescopes to view the sun directly, even with solar filters, as the concentrated sunlight can still cause harm.
Here are a few viewing areas in the South Florida area for those who want to experience the solar eclipse:
There Goes the Sun: Solar Eclipse Viewing at Palm Beach Gardens - Mirasol Park, 12385 Jog Road
Solar Eclipse viewing at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium - 4801 Dreher Trail N, West Palm Beach, FL 33405
Eclipse viewing at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science - 1101 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132