Using a pinhole projection method is the preferred method for viewing the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21 (Photo courtesy of Southern Illinois Eclipse)

Officials warns of eclipse-related traffic, safety issues

While many Southwestern Illinois communities see the Aug. 21 Great American Eclipse as a potential tourism boon, area law enforcement officials are concerned about traffic congestion and safety risks associated with the event.

Illinois State Police (ISP) District 13/22 on Aug. 10 issued the following advisories:

• With 50,000 to 200,000 eclipse viewers expected in the Carbondale area, the state police expect heavy traffic on in the Interstate 57, U.S. Route 51, and Illinois Route 13 corridors from Friday, August 15, through Tuesday, August 22. Local travelers should seek alternate routes when possible.
• Motorists traveling those routes should plan ahead and allow additional travel time. Check www.gettingaroundillinois.com or real-time traffic apps for local traffic information before leaving.
• Because of the darkness created by the eclipse, motorists are advised to turn on their vehicle headlights. However, they should not rely on the vehicle’s automatic headlight feature and should instead manually activate headlights to ensure they are turned on.
• Do not drive with solar eclipse viewing glasses on or try to take photographs while driving. The glasses are only needed while looking directly at the sun, the state police note.
• Do not stop along highways to view the eclipse. “The shoulder is for emergency parking only. Should there be an incident, emergency responders need to get to, we will need the shoulders for ingress and egress. Viewing should be conducted from a safe location away from traffic,” the department warns in its advisory.
• Watch for pedestrians. “Although discouraged, people may be parking and walking along roadways in the hour before the total eclipse to get the best viewing,” the state policy advisory notes.
• Motorists should arrive at eclipse viewing areas or other destinations early and with the items they may need to be comfortable for an extended period outdoors. For tips on eclipse viewing preparations, visit www.illinois.gov/ready/Press/Pages/073117.aspx

Eye doctors warn of retinal damage

Viewing the corona around the eclipse, effectively amounts to staring directly into the sun, according to the Illinois Optometric Association.  It poses potential for retinal damage that can lead to permanently impaired vision or even legal blindness, the association warns.

The eclipse should only be viewed directly through special eyeglasses that are ISO certified for that purpose, the association advises. Specialized solar eclipse glasses and viewers are designed to have an optical density of 5 or greater.

While eclipse eyewear is available through many retailers and public entities, most are expected to quickly exhaust their supplies and eclipse viewers should obtain their protective eyewear well in advance, the Illinois State Police warned in their advisory last week.

And not all eyewear being sold by retailers or online is actually sufficient to protect against eclipse related eye damage, the optometric association notes. Prospective purchasers should look for ISO certification on packaging, association spokespersons warn.

Sunglasses are not sufficient to protect the eyes during an eclipse, the association emphasizes.

Homemade “pinhole projectors” – which project the image of the eclipse on the inside of a box – can provide a way to safely observe the event, as they avoid need to look directly into the sky. Instructions for the construction and use of the projectors can be found on numerous websites.

Additional information on safe eclipse viewing can be found at www.eclipse.aas.org, www.eclipse2017.nasa.gov, and www.AOA.org/2017eclipse.

IDNR offers campsite reservations in eclipse zone

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) may still have some campsite reservations at Southern Illinois State Parks and at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex for Aug. 21, the day of the Great American Eclipse.  Reservations can be made for dates within the window of Aug. 14 – 27, 2017.

In all, the IDNR has more than 1,600 campsites in the eclipse zone available for reservation in advance. Some sites also allow group campgrounds and picnic shelters to be reserved. Additional campsites will be available for walk-up campers on a first-come, first-served basis, the department says.

Notable in the Metro East-area is the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; offering 1,001 campsites, all with electrical hookups. The complex offers good stargazing and eclipse viewing opportunities with open spaces, plenty of parking, and paved walkways, according to the department.

The Randolph County State Recreation Area offers reservations for 51 campsites with electric hookups.

For more information, including a clickable map of sites within the zone where the eclipse will be total, visit: https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/recreation/Pages/TotalSolarEclipse.aspx.

Baseball team offers 4-H eclipse event

University of Illinois Extension, in cooperation with the Southern Illinois Miners baseball team, will host an educational program on the Great America Eclipse, at the Miners’ ballfield in Marion from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 21.

The greater Carbondale area will experience the eclipse for longer than any other area of the country; with the sun blocked for a full two minutes and 27 seconds in Marion.

The ballfield will allow prime viewing for the afternoon eclipse, the team says. Special safety glasses will be provided to all enrolled participants for viewing of the eclipse. In addition, a telescope will capture the eclipse and project it on the Miners’ big screen television.

Educational programs begin at 10 a.m. offering youth hands-on activities with rockets, drones, robotics, virtual reality, 3-D printing, and environmental science.

Families will also be able to enroll their children in 4-H at the site.

Tickets may ordered online at go.illinois.edu/4Heclipse. Select “register” from the green box on the right. Tickets are $8 per person for entry; or one may add a lunch meal with their ticket for $15 total. Parking is available for $5 per car or $10 per bus.

For more information, contact the Miners Box Office at (618) 998-8499.

–Metro-East Area News Briefs–