The April 8, 2024 solar eclipse is expected to peak in West Hartford at 3:27 p.m.

In a special “eclipse edition” of the We-Ha Roundtable on West Hartford Community Interactive recorded on Wednesday, April 3, Sedgwick science teacher Ted Goerner and Dr. Jennifer Raska of Sight Eye Care joined John Lyons and Ronni Newton to talk about a significant eclipse of the sun that will be visible in this region on Monday, April 8.

Lyons, a meteorology fan who is respected for providing accurate local forecasts on local social media sites, said that as of Wednesday, the weather appears favorable for viewing the eclipse in this area.

Viewing an eclipse can be dangerous, however, and Raska provided advice about avoiding damage to the retina, which can happen even in a matter of seconds if looking at the sun without wearing special eclipse glasses with an ISO code 12312-2. When looking at objects in your home, including lights, everything will appear black through the lens filter, but you will be able to see the eclipse. To test the effectiveness of the glasses, you can turn on the flashlight on your cellphone and place the lens right on top and you will see a small bit of light.

If you plan to photograph the eclipse, use another pair of eclipse glasses to cover the lens of your phone camera or regular camera to avoid damage to your eyes as well as the camera lens, Raska said.

Goerner provided an overview of eclipse facts, and discussed why West Hartford will experience a partial (about 92%) eclipse, where to view the eclipse, and how to do so safely. “The penumbra will pass over West Hartford and we will be treated to a partial eclipse from 2:15 p.m. to 4:35 p.m.” on April 8, he said.

You can watch the entire program via the WHCi YouTube video below.

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