The Total Solar Eclipse Checklist: What to look for!

The topic of this post is a checklist of what to look for if you are experiencing the eclipse. It’s primarily aimed at those who are in the path of totality, but some of this information can be used by people who will be experiencing a partial eclipse.

I refer you to my earlier descriptive post on what happens during a total solar eclipse: https://eclipse482024.blogspot.com/2022/04/an-incredible-experience-is-coming.html

Also, of course, this assumes you know the eye safety rules. Before the eclipse begins, or during ANY part of the partial, you have to protect your eyes using proper methods and materials. But totality is COMPLETELY SAFE TO LOOK AT WITHOUT PROTECTION. 

Realize that these changes don't even really begin until a large portion of the sun is covered, and that they are subtle at first. Then, they are noticeable but not dramatic. It's only shortly before totality that things become really dramatic. That's one of the many incredible things about totality- it takes a while for things to become very noticeable, but when they do happen, it's a big rush!

So, here is the checklist. These are in general order, but may not be exact. people will perceive different changes at different times.

First Contact: you’ll see the silhouette of the Moon seem to take a bite out of one corner of the Sun. 

Projected images: Anything with a small hole in it can be used to project an image of the eclipse onto the ground or other lightly colored surface. Turn your back to the Sun for this. Use a kitchen colander. A hat. Stand under a leafy tree and see dozens of eclipse images on the ground and walls! Be creative!

Light level drop: at some point, the light level will begin to drop. It’s really that the Sun’s glare is going away. Notice how the light level drop is slow and subtle at first, but picks up in intensity as the eclipse progresses. That being said, even at the 95%+ range, it's still not very dark! Also notice the coloration in the sky: it’s not the same as a normal sunset!

Coloration of the landscape and other things: how is the light level drop affecting the way the landscape appears? What about other things? Have some of your group wear red and green to see the Purkinje effect- more on this in a separate post!

Temperature drop: the temperature will begin to drop off, or at least stop rising.

Nature/ animal reactions: Look for flowers closing. See if animals seem to be doing strange things. It may be a good idea to study animal behavior in the days leading up to the eclipse, especially in the evening. If you’ve traveled to the totality path and you are not sure if the animal behavior near totality is abnormal, make a mental note and ask a local later.

People reactions: during the early stages of the eclipse, most people will be only paying partial attention to the eclipse- conversations may be mostly about other things. But there will come a point when the eclipse is on EVERYONE’S mind. Note how, at some point, conversations that you overhear are mostly about THIS Eclipse and the changes that are happening

Primal reactions: you know what’s happening- the Sun is being covered by the Moon and will return again- but people many years ago did not know that. As you approach totality, you’ll begin to understand why people would have felt so terrified back then.

Strange calmness: the air will feel very still and strange. This feeling increases in intensity as totality approaches

Strange shadows: the Sun will be a crescent: shadows of objects will look noticeably different than normal. Play round with that, especially the shadows cast by your hands!

Other weather changes: is the wind picking up? Calming down? Our clouds dissipating? Forming and becoming more widespread? More on this in a separate post.

Sunset glow starting: look for a pink, orange or yellow glow starting to appear on the horizon

Darkness building in the Southwest: This is the shadow of the Moon, coming at you at about ½ mile per second (exact speed depends upon where you are) Can you actually see the motion of the shadow?

Rapid light level drop: at some point, the light (which is already dimmer) begins to drop with each passing second

Shadow bands: ripples of shadow running across the ground. They are rarely seen, and when they are, they are usually subtle. Use a lightly colored surface. Perhaps layout a white sheet or have some people in your group wear white. Prominent displays are very rare.

Baily’s Beads: the thin crescent Sun breaks up into a string of beads- sunlight shining through valleys on the Moon. You can see these through your solar filter.

Diamond Ring: the last 1 or 2 rays of sunlight before the sunlight disappears

TOTALITY!!!! It is SAFE to look without protection.

The Solar Corona: This is arguably THE highlight of totality. It's an ethereal glow unlike anything you have ever seen. Look for coronal streamers extending several solar diameters into space. How far do the streamers extend? The shape of the corona is generally determined by the activity level of the sun. I could tell you the general shape of the corona that’s most likely to happen, but that would ruin the surprise! 😀

The corona is generally white, but can you see hints of colors in the streamers?

Look at the corona directly, but also look at it out of the various corners of your eyes: that's where the more light-sensitive parts of your eyes are.

Prominences: reddish flares of hydrogen gas, at the edge of the Sun. You won’t see them move- so it will be like the freeze frame of a movie. Look for different shapes.

Disk of the Moon: is it really black? Many people describe it like a hole in the sky. How does the color of the Moon compare to the sky around the eclipsed Sun?

Sky coloration: is it deep blue? Medium blue? Violet?

360-degree sunset: all around the horizon, there is a sunset glow- light coming from areas outside of the shadow

Transition between sunset glow and darker colors above: is it abrupt? Gradual? Are there other colors in this area?

Stars and planets: Venus will be blazing 15 degrees to the west of the Sun. Jupiter will be visible 30 degrees to the east of the sun. You can spend a few seconds scanning the sky to see other stars but I wouldn’t spend too much time trying to find anything specific or identify them. Just get a general view.

Shadow motion: you may not be able to see it move in real time, but the shadow is shifted to the Southwest as totality begins, more or less centered on you at mid-totality (shifted a bit north or south, depending on how close to the centerline you are) then shifting to the East as totality gets closer to ending.

People reactions: how are people around you reacting? Cheering? Crying? Awed silence?

YOUR reaction: how do you feel? Are you shaking?

Primal reaction (again!): Many years ago, people understood the patterns of weather. If it was cloudy and raining for several weeks, people did not fear that because they knew it was the rainy season and the Sun would return- like it did every year. But at a total solar eclipse, there is NOTHING visible during totality that would have reassured them that the Sun would return again. As far as they knew, the world would stay like that forever. Think about THAT during totality.

Animal reactions: are you hearing or seeing any strange behavior from animals during totality? 

Natural/weather changes: what is the wind doing now?

Temperature drop: it may drop between 5 and 20 degrees. Do you feel a chill?

Brightening to the west: the edge of the shadow is approaching

Chromosphere: a thin red layer of hydrogen-alpha gas appears at the edge of the Sun

Diamond Ring: the first bright ray of sunlight coming back. More on the Diamond Ring effects in a separate post!

GO BACK TO PROPER EYE PROTECTION

Rapid light level rise: the light level rises very quickly as totality ends

Shadow receding: look to the Northeast: can you see the shadow rushing away?

Everything basically plays out in reverse after this point, but you may be celebrating!

Happy and safe viewing creating LIFETIME memories.