Monday's solar eclipse: What will South Carolina see?

2017's total solar eclipse in South Carolina.Photo byLauren Petracca

Most of the whole country is talking about the total solar eclipse that is coming during the afternoon hours on Monday, April 8th. But, what will we see in South Carolina?

Well, here in the Palmetto State, the astronomical event will be far less dramatic compared to the total solar eclipse we experienced, in its beautiful awe-inspiring totality, back in 2017. This year, the path of totality is Texas and points Northeast through parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.

In the Upstate, folks will be a bit luckier then they will be along the coast. The eclipse in the Upstate will block out 85% of the sun at its maximum at about 3:05pm on Monday.

In South Carolina, the moon will block anywhere from 74.6% of the sun to 85.3% at its peak, according to data from Eclipse2024.org.

The mountain areas of the Palmetto State will see the greatest eclipse while coastal areas, including Charleston and Beaufort, will see the least in South Carolina at around 75%, which still makes for a nice partial eclipse out on the beaches and sea islands.

The partial eclipse is expected to begin around 1:52 PM and conclude around 4:25 PM. This time frame coincides with school dismissal for students. Parents and guardians are urged to remind their children that looking directly at the sun is always hazardous and can cause permanent damage to their eyesight.

Viewing the eclipse without proper eye safety can cause loss of vision, especially in children whose still-developing eyes may be particularly at risk.

Symptoms of eye damage can include blurry vision, distorted vision or ‘blind spots.’ The resulting damage could be temporary or permanent.

Experts warn to not make the mistake of thinking a partial eclipse is less dangerous – if anything, it’s more dangerous because the sun is never fully blocked. That goes for the solar eclipse in South Carolina.

Take steps now to ensure you can have a fun but also safe viewing experience.

Here are a few tips to keep you and your children’s eyes protected while enjoying the eclipse:

Use eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, not regular sunglasses.

Use indirect viewing methods.

Don’t recycle solar safety glasses.

Unfortunately, the U.S. won’t see another coast-to-coast solar eclipse until 2045 so, by all means, get out with your children to enjoy this rare event, just prepare ahead of time to ensure everyone stays safe.

Enjoy the solar eclipse, South Carolina.