If you're watching the total solar eclipse, don't forget to wear sunscreen
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If you're planning to marvel in the total solar eclipse on August 21, be sure to wear sunscreen — especially if you're planning to view it for a long time.
While you might be more concerned with keeping your eyes safe from the sun, the hour or two you spend watching the whole process will leave your skin exposed.
"The levels of damaging ultraviolet (UV) light will only be low during the brief, total solar eclipse occurring within the narrow path of totality, in which the sun is completely blocked by the moon," Christin Burd, professor molecular genetics at The Ohio State University, told Business Insider in an email. After the totality, "the unblocked UV rays will be intense and could easily result in sunburn," she said.
For the people in the 70-mile-wide streak of the country that will be able to see the total solar eclipse, the buildup to the event will likely take longer than they expect, astronomer Amanda Bauer told ScienceAlert. Those who are just popping out for a few minutes to see a partial eclipse, which varies in timing and size across the country, might get away without lathering up.
Here are some other things you should bring if you're going to see the total solar eclipse, according to Mark Littman and Fred Espenek, authors of "Totality: The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024."
- A pinhole camera.
- A colander or straw hat, which can project the eclipse through holes onto paper or cardboard.
- Sunglasses (not for looking at the eclipse)
- Bug spray
- Snacks — it will be around lunch, after all
- Binoculars — for pointing at paper
- Solar eclipse glasses and solar filters
- Camera equipment to get a snap of the eclipse
- A notebook to write down observations.
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