It’s more than not look at the sun—here are safety tips for dealing with the total Eclipse. 
-PJ Gach
Today is the Solar Eclipse. The first one since 1979. You’ve probably heard that Bonnie Tyler will be singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” And you’ve probably heard not to look at the sun. And that it’s really, really spooky.

Here’s what a total eclipse is; it’s when the Earth passes through the moon’s shadow, blocking the sun’s light. A total solar eclipse is when the sun is completely blocked by the moon. This total solar eclipse will cross the United States from coast to coast. Most people in the United States will be able to see a partial total eclipse.  If you live on the “path of totality” you’ll be able to see the total solar eclipse. The actual path is about 70 miles wide. Space.com has a map of the “path of totality,” click here to view it.

Read: Want to be scared inside the house? Check out this movie

The eclipse starts at 10 am PT on the West Coast and ends around 3pm on the East Coast. And believe it or not, when it’s in your area, it will last around two minutes.

Want to want to watch what’s going on online? The Amateur Astronomers Association has a solar total eclipse countdown clock and a virtual map that will show its progress. Click here to see what’s going on.

Driving

AAA has released a list of driving safety tips.

• Drive safely.
• Don’t drive wearing eclipse sunglasses.
• Don’t dtop along the highway or interstate or park on the shoulder of the road
• Do keep headlights on – don’t rely on automatic headlights.
• Do NOT try to photograph or video the eclipse while driving.
• Do be mindful of pedestrians that many will be walking around with their eyes on the sky.
• Do prepare for extra congestion on the roads during the eclipse period, but also in the days before and after the eclipse as many travelers head to the totality zone.
• Do have your viewing location set and stay in place, avoiding travel during the eclipse.

Pets

• Pets don’t normally stare at the sun, so you don’t have to buy them protective goggles.
• However, if you do have a pet that’s sensitive to weather changes, keep them indoors and keep them calm.
• Best way to keep an anxious pet calm is to act calm around them.

People

• Only use special-purpose glasses to view the eclipse. Have a pair? Use this American Astronomical Society guidelines to make sure yours are up to par.
• Don’t look directly into the sun. Yes, you will permanently damage your eyes.
• Libraries across the country are giving away free eclipse glasses in conjunction with NASA, Google, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Space Science Institute’s STAR_Net initiative. Many libraries are holding eclipse events, click here to see if your local library is holding one.
• Yes, you can go outside during the eclipse. Just don’t look at the sun. Yes, you will go blind.
  
  photo credits: 1-Pinterest, 2- PJ Gach