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CNN Live Event/Special
Eclipse Across America: Eclipse Watchers Travel for View from Vermont; Solar Eclipse Sparks Enthusiasm for Science in the US; How to Safely Watch the solar Eclipse Tomorrow. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired April 07, 2024 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:00]
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Hello and I'm Bill Weir. Welcome to a special "Eclipse Across America" here in Washington, D.C. We are less than 24 hours away from witnessing one of the most spectacular shows to take over our skys. A total solar eclipse. Every day the shadow of the moon bounces on countless corners of the Milky Way and when it hits earth, odds are generally that it'll pass over uninhabited patches of ice and sea where no one can appreciate it. But tomorrow, tomorrow that shadow will launch a U.S. tour centuries in the making with 32 million people living in the path of totality. Another three million expected to join them from around the nation and the world.
The celestial show, of course, opens on the Mexican border with Texas before crossing over Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Buffalo, on its way into Eastern Canada. It's so rare for the path to include so many fellow Americans and there won't be another until your newborn is old enough to drink, in the year 2044.
It's the kind of rare, awe-inspiring, nonpartisan cosmic event that is uniting people around, wonder and so many are getting in on the fun. There's clever marketing and mass weddings and potentially nervous zoo animals and a run on special safety eclipse glasses, which are vital. Your Ray-Bans will not cut it.
So much to talk about in this special hour. Of course, we have reporters fanned out all across the country, keeping track of possible cloudy formations there. As preparations get buttoned up really that is the drama there. Local weather is everything for would-be eclipse goers. It's the difference between celestial awe and disappointment. And we will get to all these folks and see how they're doing coming up.
But let's begin with meteorologist Elisa Raffa.
Elisa, joining us along the path of totality there, my heart goes out to the families who have been planning this for years and now are just going hour by hour refreshing the forecast. What's it looking like? Who's got the best shot tomorrow?
ELISA RAFFA, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know what, and it's so opposite for what we would expect in April. It's flipped the switch on the climatology. We've got a severe storm throughout that's pretty much growing over parts of Texas. Looks like the best view could be over parts of the Ohio Valley and in New England. That severe threat in Texas is now an enhanced level, three out of five.
We're looking at the threat for damaging winds, large hail and some isolated tornadoes right along there, that path of totality. But the good news is, is it looks like the storms don't fire up until after the eclipse. Couple of showers before, but all of this fires up after 3:00, 4:00. So it's going to be a problem on your way home from any eclipse events there in Texas. It will also come, though, with the clouds.
You're looking at mostly cloudy skies in Dallas throughout the event. Your peak at totality is 1:40. Place like Indianapolis looking at more sunshine, clear skies, a better view of things like the corona as we start to get into totality. A couple of showers, though. We've got this stalled front that stalls pretty much right along and near the path. That's what's bringing the clouds and the showers from Texas into Louisiana, Arkansas, then maybe a couple of two over upstate New York.
But you've got that patch of clear and this over the Ohio Valley and then another patch of clear skies over New England. So Cleveland, Ohio, another spot that will have a mix of sun and clouds. So you're hoping to just not get that cloud once you have that totality. So you can see things like the corona. You'll still get that darkness, though, no matter what your cloud conditions are.
And something that's really cool is once you get that darkness, the shadow is going to basically cover up the energy from the sun and temperatures will briefly drop when you're in totality. So you get a little bit of a cool breeze once the shadow comes across, Bill.
WEIR: Elisa, I would never ever route for you to be wrong. But for all those families out there who've got the reservations made and the family assembled for tomorrow, maybe clear skies could somehow happen, but thank you for the latest update. Knowledge is power when planning an eclipse.
Let's go now to downtown Indianapolis, where thousands of people are expected to watch the eclipse. Tens of thousands really. And joining me now Kristin Fisher.
They're calling themselves the eclipse capital of the Midwest. The rivalry, the American style rivalry already kicking in there. How big is the party going to get there?
KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: It's going to get even bigger now, Bill, now that the forecast in Texas is so bad, but I got to say the second your show started it started raining. It's not raining now, but the sun is out. The weather here can't quite decide what to do. Hopefully, it clears up just in time for totality here in Indianapolis at 3:06 p.m. Eastern Time.
You know, Bill, Indianapolis has always been one of those key cities along the path of totality. It became much more important with that bad forecast down in Texas. Eclipse chasers coming here in droves. Wow, it is really raining now. You could not time this better. But you have seen the airports absolutely packed today. We've talked to so many people who have come here from Texas and Dallas who were planning to watch it there. Now watching it here.
Look at this. This has got to mean great clear skies during totality tomorrow. If you miss it, it's going to be over 100 years before Indianapolis gets another eclipse. It's been over 800 years since you have seen a total solar eclipse here in Indianapolis.
[19:05:05]
And the reason eclipse chasers are so excited about this one, Bill, two big things. The path, the duration of totality about twice as long as it was back in 2017. And then, Bill, the other big thing is that this total solar eclipse just happens to be coinciding with peak solar activity. And so what that means is that when the moon fully covers the sun, you should be able to see hopefully some really cool things from the sun's corona.
Some solar flares, some coronal mass ejections, all those things should be much more visible and apparent, and hopefully more active this time around. But, you know, Bill, really right now, it just all comes down to the weather. You can still enjoy an eclipse during cloudy skies, but, you know, it's just not the same as when you have a clear shot of it. So I think my producer is saying that we have a rainbow behind me.
I mean, Bill, look at this.
WEIR: Another omen.
FISHER: If this isn't a sign that we're going to have good weather and clear skies for an eclipse tomorrow, I don't know what is.
WEIR: Look at that. It is a double omen.
FISHER: Look at that, right? It's a double -- no, not quite a double rainbow.
WEIR: Not quite a double rainbow.
FISHER: It's a single rainbow but it's a beautiful one. You can kind of see it. Wow. Couldn't plan it better. So, you know what, Bill, I was supposed to be Kerrville for the eclipse. At the last second -- Kerrville, Texas, at the last second, we changed our plans and came here like so many other eclipse chasers. So, you know, hopefully the rainbow is going to give us those clear skies that we all need.
WEIR: Well, you have definitely set the bar high for the rest of the live shots to follow, Kristin Fisher. Thank you for that spontaneous rainbow right there. We'll check back in with you across the next 24 hours, for sure.
Let's now go to say hello, Cleveland, where CBS's Miguel Marquez is standing by. Miguel, this is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame world here, of course.
So I'm thinking you've got Pink Floyd total eclipse, right? Blinded by the light, man for man.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So we are at the Science Center here, the Great Lakes Science Center. They're expecting 30,000 people here. Rock Hall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is right next to us. They're going to DJ the eclipse. They're going to have about eight hours of music, but for the eclipse itself we're totality at 3:13 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, they will have Pink Floyd's "Eclipse" playing. And as totality ends, the idea is, is that you will hear the lyrics. They're going to have speakers set up throughout Cleveland as well. So you're going to hear the lyric, the moon has eclipsed the sun. It's going to be very, very cool.
About 30,000 people they're expecting here at the Great Lakes Science Center. This is also home, Cleveland, to the Glenn Research Center. It's the only NASA facility that is in the path of totality. So NASA has a very, very big contingent here. The entire city, they're calling it "The Blackout to Remember." The entire city just looking forward to this one, it is going to be a great day -- Bill.
WEIR: All right. Miguel Marquez, that sounds so great. You've gone to plenty of -- I know you're of the generation that would go see Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" at the Laserium. And now that lyric could have no more fitter backdrop than the total moment of totality. I can't wait for that one.
Thank you, Miguel.
Let's now go to Buffalo, America's oldest state park. That is Harry Enten's beat. Harry Enten is our man in Buffalo, as if you could not tell. A man who practices experiential journalism and is in one of my favorite places.
Harry, what's the mood there? These folks know how to celebrate on a slow day, it must be exciting as we get closer to this.
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, where else would you rather be than right here right now in Niagara Falls, just north of Buffalo. I've got the gear all set up. I got my Niagara Falls hat here. I've got my solar eclipse shirt. We've got such a beautiful view. Over my right shoulder you can see the falls. Look at that. My goodness gracious. How beautiful is that going to be tomorrow that you also see the sun as well setting in the west obviously.
The sun will be a little bit further up come tomorrow, but it will be on that side. It's going to be a beautiful view. And of course, we've got a ton of people here. You can see the excitement has absolutely been building. We're getting more and more people as I've been here. And in fact, we spoke with a couple from England earlier during my experience here. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ENTEN: I guess the 2017 one was so impressive you decided I got to get -- I got to double dip.
[19:10:02]
MIKE MALLALIEU, TRAVELED FROM ENGLAND FOR ECLIPSE: Yes. But I want to see this eclipse as well because I've got -- this one in 2026 is going over Spain. So I've already got that lined up.
ENTEN: Oh, come on.
MALLALIEU: And then in 2027, also it's in Spain. In 2028, there's one in Australia.
ENTEN: OK.
MALLALIEU: So I've got them lined up.
ENTEN: So I've heard of tornado chasers before. I've heard of hurricane chasers before. Apparently we've discovered a new breed and that is eclipse chasers.
MALLALIEU: Oh, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: Eclipse chasers, an entirely new category of fandom. It's not just the Grateful Dead and Fish. This is much harder to do.
ENTEN: Yes.
WEIR: How many people are up there around the falls, Harry? On both sides of the border I imagine big crowds.
ENTEN: Yes. Yes. We're expecting more than perhaps north of a million folks on just coming to the western New York region. We're expecting about a million. So you tack in, tack in those folks on the Canadian side, we could be looking at well north of a million people, and we have found people coming from all over the place. We have found people as we mentioned earlier, from England, had folks from Utah. We've had folks from New Jersey.
People are coming all over here and why the heck not because if you just look at the view that we have going on here, this is the place to be. The one question, Bill, is, will we have partly sunny skies or mostly cloudy skies. I have dipped into my weather background. I've been looking at the model output, statistic data, the short-range modeling, we could get a microclimate here, which could allow Niagara Falls to be partly sunny, while the rest of the western New York region is in fact mostly cloudy.
That's at least what I'm praying for, Bill. Back to you.
WEIR: That is really fascinating. You crunch numbers well beyond politics obviously. But there is interesting microclimates around the Great Lakes there, around the falls as it churns. It might be worth following up and seeing if you're right. ENTEN: Well, we'll find out. Tomorrow will be the ultimate test
whether or not my meteorology is as good as my political number crunching.
(LAUGHTER)
WEIR: Keep your day job just in case. Harry Enten, thank you so much in Buffalo.
Coming up, as millions prepare to watch these celestial event from the ground, NASA will be chasing it from the sky. Three different special kinds of planes, rockets, into the path of the eclipse will be launched. Plus, you've heard of storm chasers. But what about eclipse chasers? You met a couple there who just traveled thousands of miles for the perfect view.
And it's the essential item you'll need to view the main event. But are your eclipse glasses safe? This is serious. What you need to know to keep your eyes, your peppers, healthy from the sun during tomorrow's big event. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:17:38]
WEIR: Welcome back to ECLIPSE ACROSS AMERICA. We are only hours away from the big celestial event. Millions around the country getting ready to really just gather and connect over the wonder of the universe when the moon temporarily blocks out the sun here on earth. A four-minute show.
NASA has its own plans for the solar eclipse as well. And for that, let's talk to NASA administrator Bill Nelson, who joins us from Orlando this evening.
Hello, Bill. What is the administrator do during totality, if I may ask? Where will you be?
BILL NELSON, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: I'm going to be in the middle of the eclipse. I'm going to Glenn named after John Glenn, by the way, research center in Cleveland, Ohio, so that's where I'll be, and you'll be there.
WEIR: Yes, of course. I wouldn't expect anything more but to be right under it there as well. And what's interesting is that if you happen to live in the path of totality, that's the only place it's safe to take off your glasses and look at that sun in that way and that's sort of liberty to do that really expands when it comes to scientists studying the moon, right? I mean, you guys -- and the sun. You guys are -- have all kinds of experiments going off between rockets and planes.
Explained what it is, what mysteries your folks are trying to unpack tomorrow.
NELSON: Well, the sun is our star, and it gives us heat and light, and out of it is a whole bunch of energy and radiation that comes from it. And because we're going to have darkness in the middle of the day, then it's a new way of U.S. being able to study what is happening and what's happening in the upper atmosphere up in the ionosphere. And I see you've got the pictures of the planes.
WEIR: Yes.
NELSON: They'll be up there 50,000 feet looking up further about 400 miles at the ionosphere and seeing how all of a sudden it going from day to night and what is the difference that's happening in the ionosphere.
WEIR: Yes, it's interesting to see your satellite imagery of this. The ionosphere is that layer between our atmosphere in deep space. And it's electrically charged based on the solar activity. You can see it light up as the sun comes up wherever you are in the earth, and then sort of twinkle and then fade away.
[19:20:03]
And that affects communication, doesn't it? Both terrestrial and satellite?
NELSON: All of the above. Everything coming off of the sun has an effect on us. You know, the fact that they're the solar explosions coming out from the sun. That's sending radiation directly to us. The reason we don't get fried is that we have a magnetic field around the earth and it repels that radiation.
You know, we're not just done tomorrow. We are actually putting up a satellite that's already up there and it's going to go in very close to the sun and it's going to take all kinds of measurements of that heat and that radiation coming off. What is the corona outside of the actual what you'd think the surface of the sun? So we've got all kinds of measurements going on.
WEIR: Yes, I was reading up about on the corona actually maintains a pretty consistent temperatures and millions of degrees hotter than the surface of the sun, even as the sun cycles through this 11-year ups and downs of actual power and activity there which were at the maximum right now as well. But one of the mysteries is why the corona stays consistent while this happens.
I know that there was an eclipse that helped prove Albert Einstein's theory of relativity back in the day when they could see a star was sort of warped and out of place based on this as well. Are there other grand mysteries of the universe that all this data is leading us towards unlocking?
NELSON: That's what our spacecraft and our telescopes are now unlocking, those mysteries, and that's what this Parker Solar Probe is going very close to the surface of the sun. By the way, it has a special heat shield that it has to stay oriented. That heat shield will repel the sun's heat so that it does not completely eliminate the instruments. That's another way that we're going to learn all the more of what's happening up there. But this has been a mystery for years and years as people have peered
up into the heavens and seeing this magnificent star. One of billions of stars in our galaxy. And of course then in addition to our galaxy there are billions of galaxies with billions of stars. By the way, I want to remind everybody, wear those glasses when you look at the stuff. You don't want to damage your eyes. Please wear those glasses.
WEIR: Absolutely.
NELSON: Hey, you're looking cool.
WEIR: Looking pretty good?
NELSON: You're looking really cool.
WEIR: This brings me back to like 1980s New Wave phase. It was brief but it is very serious because unless you live in that point of totality there and if you're in maybe New York where you get 90 percent, your sunglasses are not going to cut it. This is mandatory safety gear tomorrow, right?
NELSON: It is and I'm going to be in totality and I'm going to have those sunglasses on.
WEIR: I'm sure you'll look cool.
Administrator Bill Nelson of NASA, thank you so much for your time. Happy Eclipse Day if I don't talk to you before then.
Still ahead, snow-capped mountains, clear skies, and a total solar eclipse. Pretty good package put together. We'll take you to what might be the best place in the country to see the celestial dance tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:28:29]
WEIR: Can't blame excited eclipse-watchers for being worried that the weather could complicate get their attempts to see this epic astronomical phenomenon tomorrow, but a sudden rainbow in the sky moments ago during our Kristin Fisher's live shot in Indianapolis, is that an omen of hope? We could hope so. Better now than tomorrow, that's for sure.
CNN meteorologist Elisa Raffa joins us again.
Elisa, let us zoom in on Indianapolis. We're really banking on it as a network. We have so many resources there. So many folks there. But you're telling us they're in the clear tomorrow? And this is a good sign that this weather is moving through?
RAFFA: At least in better shape than Texas, right? Which is what she was saying. Originally, she was going to Texas and like many people, they're sending their plans up into the Ohio Valley where skies are a little bit more clear. So you can see the difference between Dallas and Indianapolis where it looks like you'll have some mostly clear skies, you know, a few clouds, much less than in the southern plains by 3:00 or 4:00 when you're hitting that totality at 3:06.
So some clearer skies there. In Indianapolis, your eclipse begins at 1:50. You get that totality time of 3:06 and it wraps up around 4:20. And you'll have partly cloudy, mostly sunny sky. So there might be a few clouds, depends on the type of cloud, you know, you'll definitely get that darkness either way. You might -- just might not be able to see the corona, but it's looking like much better shape in Indianapolis than in Dallas -- Bill.
WEIR: All right. Elisa, thank you so much.
[19:30:00]
Let us now go a bit north, droves of tourists descending on Burlington, Vermont today, ahead of tomorrow's solar eclipse and the weather looking pretty promising for all of the umbraphiles on hand up north, that's where we can find CNN's Derek Van Dam today.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
WEIR: I am expanding my vocabulary. What is -- tell us what an umbraphile is, Derek.
VAN DAM: It is a person who chases an eclipse or a shadow lover. It is a real Websters dictionary word. Check it out, Bill and you're looking at umbraphiles including me right here.
Are you guys excited about the eclipse?
(CROWD answer "yes.")
VAN DAM: Oh thousands of umbraphiles coming down to the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain where you can see the weather is picture, picture, perfect. Picture this.
Tomorrow, 3:26, the skies darken. We get a 360-degree sunset all around us, constellations, stars and planets come out. It is going to be the big celestial dance.
And you know what? This is my friend, Rex, and this -- is this your first solar eclipse?
REX: Yes, my first solar eclipse, really my first eclipse liken of all the types of eclipse.
VAN DAM: What makes you so excited about this?
REX: Well, it is just its going to be my first time ever and I am on live TV.
VAN DAM: Oh, that makes it even better.
But I mean, as a parent myself, you're seven, right?
REX: Yes.
VAN DAM: Okay, so I am a parent of a seven-year-old myself, I know that this is a core memory maker for a parent and for a child as well. So maybe this is going to inspire some sort of scientific exploration for this young boy.
But one thing I do know is that you've got a special trick for us. I think it is a solar eclipse summersault, is that true? Can you show us?
REX: It is going to be like a triple --
WEIR: Well, there is one.
VAN DAM: All right, Rex, everybody making his national TV debut. Thanks for playing along.
You know, Bill, it doesn't get any better than this and people are very, very excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity. We are excited and you know what, it is going to be one heck of a time here, the snow-capped mountains and perfect weather across Northern New England.
Back to you.
WEIR: First of all, Derek, have Rex give you a copy of his resume because he has got that kind of charisma and interest in science we are looking for in there, and I am jealous of both of you.
VAN DAM: You've got a job.
WEIR: I've never actually been under an eclipse and I am going to be in a studio in Atlanta tomorrow, and so, I am going to miss this one, too, but you covered the 2017, how is this one different?
VAN DAM: Well, this one is different because three times as many people are in the Path of Totality for this eclipse.
And then in 2017, I was in Nashville. It was in the lower end of the solar cycle, so the sun goes through an 11-year solar cycle and we are reaching its maximum right now coinciding with this total solar eclipse.
So once the moon blocks out the sun, right over the skies here of Lake Champlain, you can expect to see more solar prominences, solar flares, and just more beautiful things around the corona of the sun. That's the sun's atmosphere that is going to be more active because were in that solar maximum right now.
It is going to be an incredible event to witness something, that is not going to be the same as what happened in 2017; even more spectacular, perhaps.
WEIR: Folks with those as those big telescopes, probably not going to get much sleep tonight, thinking about all of the ejections and stuff.
Derek, thank you so much.
VAN DAM: Me either.
WEIR: You neither.
Several spots in Mexico in the Path of Totality, including Mazatlan on the West Coast. Tens of thousands of visitors arrive there over the weekend. It is where Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will be watching as well and further north, the city of Torreon is also along the Path of Totality.
Gustavo Valdes joins us from there now.
Gustavo, what would have been seeing today, what's the mood?
GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, Mazatlan might be the first one to see the eclipse, and they do have those beautiful beaches. We are going to have the clear skies, hopefully, and they're going to enjoy a margarita on the beach with the eclipse.
But here in Torreon, we have something they don't have and that is those telescopes. They've been here for a long time.
One of them is always pointing at the sun. They do experiments. They study the sun. The other one, they are modifying it, so they can also look at the sun and the second one is going to be looking at specific areas of the moon and the sun to do several tests.
This is a team from the National Mexican University. They are going to be looking at the ionosphere. You have the NASA administrator there talking about it, so there is a lot of science going on, but there is also a lot of fun.
You see that line over there, we are kind of caged here, we cannot move too much, but all of that line has been there all day long. They want to get their glasses, so they can look at the eclipse tomorrow.
This park over here, this park, there is going to be a little fair with music, with food, and they're going to have experts to talk about the birds.
[19:35:03]
This park has a lot of birds, so we are going to be able to hear what happens when darkness comes in the middle of the day.
Also, not far from here, there is a desert, there is the Cuatrocienegas and there, they are expecting to have also clear skies and they expect that the view there is going to be incredible because they don't have the urban light to pollute the view.
Right here, we have had the overcast sky, sometimes the sun comes out, sometimes it doesn't, but we are hoping that by the time this -- the eclipse gets to its peak, it is going to be dark, dark, with clear skies -- Bill. WEIR: Oh, man. Well, Gustavo, we are sending you good vibes. Clear
skies vibes your way as well, and your right, when in the desert, especially, imagine the stars popping out in the middle of the day.
Gustavo Valdes, thank you, sir.
The solar eclipse is a massive real-life science experiment and still ahead, will be joined by a curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum right here in DC to talk about what we can learn, a special coverage moment continues. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:40:55]
WEIR: Well, if you are excited for tomorrow's totality, imagine what it must be like to be a professional astronomer or astrophysicist, for scientists who have been eagerly awaiting for this moment for years now and joining me is among them, Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony, curator of Space History for the National Air and Space Museum here in DC.
Great to meet you, Doctor. Thanks for coming in.
DR. TEASEL MUIR-HARMONY, CURATOR, SPACE HISTORY FOR THE NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM: Oh, it is such a pleasure to meet you.
WEIR: You are the curator of the Apollo Program at the Smithsonian, which must be an amazingly fascinating job. How does this -- does this remind you of any moment in space exploration? I mean, we are not launching anything, but there is really a sense of communal wonder, isn't there?
MUIR-HARMONY: Exactly, yes. It reminds me so much of the Apollo aid mission and the Apollo 11 mission when the world really came together to witness something in space, and especially the coverage I've been watching today with the first lunar landing, part of watching that event was watching people all around the world share in that experience.
And so, it is great to be reminded that this is really a community communal event and it has the potential to bring people together.
WEIR: Yes. I've been spending the last couple of days just reading everything I can on the experiments that will take place. Explain what it is that is trying to be unlocked and what interests you most about the data that will be gathered tomorrow.
MUIR-HARMONY: Well, we still have a lot to learn about the corona and one of the things that is very, very important for us to learn more about is coronal mass ejections.
And so we have a decent understanding of why they happen, but were not quite good at predicting them yet.
WEIR: Coronal -- just so I could get a point on it, coronal mass ejections. So giant almost geysers of the sun comes shooting out. Yes. MUIR-HARMONY: Super charged materials. Yes.
WEIR: Yes.
MUIR-HARMONY: Exactly and depending on the direction, it could come to earth and has the potential to harm electronics, on satellites, or a power grid, and so, it could pose a real problem.
And so the more we know about them, the more we can safeguard our electronics here on Earth and our electrical system.
And so this is a really important area that needs to be studied more.
WEIR: Right. Solar storms, I guess is a way to think about it, right? And NASA sending rockets up as well, because I guess studying this -- the phenomenon, it is difficult from a satellite because it may not be in the right position and these airplanes really can't get high enough.
So what are the rockets doing?
MUIR-HARMONY: I don't know so much about the rocket experience -- experiments, but I saw that you mentioned the airplanes, which is a great way to extend the observation time for solar observation.
And then of course, there are things like the Parker Solar Probe that was mentioned that is giving us a lot of new data.
WEIR: Right. The last, I guess maybe the 2017 eclipse gave us some clues into these phenomenon around the sun. That's what surprised me as this isn't data that went back to say when they proved Einstein's theories in the early 1900s or something, were learning new things about are most important star as we speak, right?
MUIR-HARMONY: And solar physicists are very excited for this moment and they've been waiting for it because this isn't just any total eclipse and that's a wonderful thing in its own, but this is a very special one in the sense that the sun is at its solar maximum and it is extremely close to Earth, too.
So this is a very, very special eclipse for them.
WEIR: Oh, is that right.
MUIR-HARMONY: Yes. And so part of the reason that the Path of Totality is so large, tomorrow is that the sun is almost as close I mean -- sorry, the moon is almost as close as it can be to Earth on its orbit.
WEIR; Right. It didn't occur to me until recently the idea that our moon's shadow is fleeting all over asteroids and whatever in the galaxy all the time and when it hits earth, most times, we wouldn't even notice, right? Because it hits arctic ice or open ocean or something like this.
So to have so many major cities and then this won't happen again for another generation. MUIR-HARMONY: Exactly, especially in the United States and there will
be another eclipse in the US in 2044, but it is really not until 2045 that you get one that expands across the entire country.
[19:45:07]
WEIR: We are hoping and you must be hoping that an entire generation of future scientists are inspired by what they experience tomorrow. Have you been in one? And how do you think parents and family members can really maximize this experience as a learning moment?
MUIR-HARMONY: Well, if you have the opportunity to see totality, you should definitely try to do that. It has been described as one of these experiences that could be transformative, really could change our trajectory and some people have talked about going into science because of it.
So if you can make it, over half the country lives within 250 miles of totality. So if the weather behaves, there is good potential for that, but also if you are in regions where you're going to have a partial eclipse, it is still an extraordinary event to see really inspiring. I'll be on the National Mall tomorrow.
We have a festival. Thousands of people will come out. I was there in 2017 and it was such a great crowd. I actually lost my voice by mid- afternoon because we were having such a good time together.
WEIR: Amazing. Well, I guess if for those who can't be astronauts, it is the closest thing to that overlook effect where you feel such a connection and humility about the universe.
Thank you for coming by.
MUIR-HARMONY: My pleasure.
WEIR: I am happy you could stay tomorrow.
Dr. Teasel Muir, thank you.
Well, when we come back, a quick programming note. This is actually a big night for space fans here on CNN. It is the untold story of the mission that changed spaceflight really forever.
The new CNN original series, "Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight" premieres tonight right here. Here is a little preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: NASA has declared a state of emergency over Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There he something amiss. We are watching mission control. NASA has gone through this before, 17 years ago with Space Shuttle Challenger.
You can see in their eyes --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you're working in spaceflight, this is the worst possible thing that can ever happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR; A lot of folks remember exactly where they were at that moment.
Be sure to watch tonight at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific, only on CNN.
Just ahead, tomorrow's eclipse could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, but don't make it the last thing you'll ever see. What you need to do to keep your eyes safe from the sun.
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WEIR: Happy Eclipse Eve, America.
We are now less than a day away from tomorrow's big total solar eclipse and if you're excited as most to watch, you want to be prepared to do it safely.
And one way is to snag a pair of special solar eclipse glasses. The Ray-Bans aren't going to cut it on this particular event. You've got to make sure they are legit and for more on how to do that and everything else you need to know about solar eclipse eye safety, here is CNN medical correspondent, Meg Tirrell.
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MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Real injuries can actually occur to your eyes and your vision from looking directly at the sun. And these have been documented after eclipses in the past.
The only time it is safe to look at directly up at the sun is during totality. And of course, not everybody who is going to get to experience this eclipse will be in the Path of Totality, that's what the moon completely moves in front of the sun and blocks all of its light and people who are in the Path of Totality will really only get to experience that for a couple of minutes.
All other times, or in all other places, you've got to wear protective eyewear, glasses like this. Now, these injuries can happen really within seconds of looking directly at the sun and the symptoms can then sort of come up a few hours later, things like blurry vision or a spot in your vision, sort of wavy looking vision, or even altered color.
This unfortunately can be permanent, although for some people, it does improve over time.
Now, these kinds of glasses, these eclipse glasses that are protective, they are more than a thousand times darker than even the darkest sunglasses. They filter out everything except the tiniest fraction of the sun's visible light.
You want to make sure that they are ISO certified 12312-2, but unfortunately that's not enough alone to see that printed on the glasses to ensure that they're not a counterfeit or a bad pair.
The American Astronomical Association has a list of cleared vendors on its website. So you can find good glasses and they also tell you some of the things you can do to ensure that your pair is good.
First of all, even if you have glasses leftover from your last eclipse experience, you can use those, but you want to make sure that they are not damaged, are scratched or punctured in any way and that the lenses are still on well.
Then what you want to do to test that they are dark enough as to put them on inside and to look up at the brightest light, that should be absolutely the only thing you can see. And even then, even only the faintest outline of that bright light.
If that is good, you take them outside, look at the sun reflecting off of a car or a puddle. That, you should only be able to see very faintly. If that is good, you can take a look at the sun very briefly through the glasses. It should be comfortable to look at the sun.
And even then, if you're not positive about whether your glasses are real, you should really only look at the sun through them every maybe two to three seconds, every five minutes, just to ensure that you are protecting your eyes.
[19:55:10]
Eclipses lasts long enough that you'll still be able to get good glances of them at looking that way.
You know, vision problems are not the only health effects and safety risks we have heard about in relation to eclipses. There was also one recent study that looked at traffic fatalities around the 2017 eclipse in the United States.
They found that in the three days around that eclipse, traffic fatalities went up, and while it may sound like that is because things have gone dark or people are looking at the sun, it is actually because so many more people are traveling to try to get to experience the eclipse and that is going to be the case this time as well.
The researchers compared the travel conditions to Thanksgiving weekend or July 4th weekend or Memorial Day weekend. So take more care on the road. And if you want to look at the eclipse, get a pair of safe glasses using all those tips we mentioned or there are ways of looking indirectly like in a projection of the light on the ground.
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WEIR: Meg Tirrell, good tips. Thanks very much. Be safe tomorrow.
And thank you for joining me this evening. I'm Bill Weir and be sure to join us tomorrow for CNN's special live coverage of the eclipse. It all begins at 1:00 PM.
And an all new episode of "The Whole Story" with Anderson Cooper is up next.
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