Advertisement

If you're watching the total solar eclipse, don't forget to wear sunscreen

Solar eclipse viewing
Solar eclipse viewing

Getty

If you're planning to marvel in the total solar eclipse on August 21, be sure to wear sunscreen  — especially if you're planning to view it for a long time.

While you might be more concerned with keeping your eyes safe from the sun, the hour or two you spend watching the whole process will leave your skin exposed. 

"The levels of damaging ultraviolet (UV) light will only be low during the brief, total solar eclipse occurring within the narrow path of totality, in which the sun is completely blocked by the moon," Christin Burd, a Damon Runyon-funded professor molecular genetics at The Ohio State University, told Business Insider in an email. After the totality, "the unblocked UV rays will be intense and could easily result in sunburn," she said. 

For the people in the 70-mile-wide streak of the country that will be able to see the total solar eclipse, the buildup to the event will likely take longer than they expect, astronomer Amanda Bauer told ScienceAlert. Those who are just popping out for a few minutes to see a partial eclipse, which varies in timing and size across the country, might get away without lathering up. 

Here are some other things you should bring if you're going to see the total solar eclipse, according to Mark Littman and Fred Espenek, authors of "Totality: The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024."

NOW WATCH: Why planes leave white trails in the sky — and how you can use them to predict the weather

See Also: