Space Weather & Space Climate

Native American cultures have diverse views on eclipses. For example, the Navajo people believe that an eclipse is a sacred time when the sun and moon are interacting. They treat eclipses with reverence and prayer, and they often stay indoors during an eclipse. The Shoshone-Bannock tribes in Idaho believed that bad things would happen to bad people during eclipses. The Pawnee people of Oklahoma saw eclipses as a time of sorrow, as they believed that an eclipse meant that a great leader was going to die. Overall, eclipses are seen by Native Americans as a time of great spiritual significance. They are an opportunity to connect with the natural world and the spirit realm.

Check out these resources on Navajo knowledge of the Cosmos and how other Native American beliefs or protocols concerning the eclipse.

Would you like to view the eclipse through one of our specially designed eclipse glasses? Request Eclipse Glasses here! Please submit your request by March 28th, 2024.

These glasses are free of charge, and are offered through the U.S National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research's Education, Engagement and Early-Career Development (EdEC) Engagement section. Requests will be fulfilled, when possible, on a first-come-first-served basis. We’re offering shipment via prepaid FedEx labels or local pickup at specific locations/times. You will not be able to pick up glasses at the Mesa Laboratory outside of the delivery windows we establish. Further details will come via email. 

Developed as a took for the Blind and Low Vision (BLV) community to experience the eclipse, the LightSound device uses sonification to convert light intensity to sound. Learn more or request your own device on The LightSound Project webpage. 

You'll have the best chance of seeing the eclipse at a location that is less likely to be cloudy or stormy. Weather Underground keeps a historical record of weather conditions. Check the location you have in mind to see if it’s typically cloudy on this date. For example, Uvalde, TX shows it was cloudy on April 8, 2023, but fair the previous years. Of course, weather will be weather, so check forecasts leading up to the day for a more accurate prediction.

Coloradans will tell you, the 2017 eclipse was an amazing experience, but the drive back was not. This is because most travelers left around the same time and had one major highway to handle all of the traffic. If you are traveling, consider carpooling, or taking a train or public transportation when possible. Consider multiple routes home, or leave later to avoid the initial busy road conditions. If you’re flying, buy your tickets early, and give yourself extra time to get through the airport, as there could be unusually high airport traffic leading up to, and after the eclipse.

Except during the couple of minutes of totality, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without special eye protection. So, don’t forget your eclipse glasses or solar viewers! If you are watching the eclipse from outside the path of totality, you will need eclipse glasses for the entire experience. You should also not look through a telescope or camera while wearing eclipse glasses. You can read more about eye safety during eclipses from NASA. 

Want to view the eclipse but don't have glasses? Check out this video from NPR for Five Ways to View the Eclipse: 

In addition to eye safety, don’t forget to wear sunscreen, and bring sunglasses, hats, lots of water, food and snacks, extra jackets, anything you may need to safely and comfortably be outside for a few hours. We also recommend experiencing the eclipse in groups of 3 or more - that way, you can help one another in case of an emergency.