region of Canada declares state of emergency and asks population to prepare for ‘queues’ and ‘crowds’

The Niagara region, in the Canadian province of Ontario, where the Niagara Falls are located, declared a state of emergency to receive a total solar eclipse that will take place on April 8 this year. Some areas of Mexico, the United States and Canada will be able to witness the eclipse in its entirety.

Observers in Western Europe will be able to view the event in partial form. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking a large part of the star. At that moment, the sky becomes darker. Niagara will be one of the best places in Canada to observe the total solar eclipse and is preparing to receive thousands of visitors.

According to the region’s government, the state of emergency, which began last week, represents a precaution for Niagara to be able to receive and accommodate visitors. Several establishments will be closed on the day of the eclipse to avoid car traffic on the roads. Furthermore, most schools, as well as most health services, will be closed on April 8.

The government recommended that the population fill their fuel tanks and shop and purchase first aid items before the day of the eclipse. The management also said that the population should prepare for long queues and crowds.

While traveling on the 8th, people should not stop their car on the road to take photos or view the eclipse, the government said. Another important point for observing the eclipse is the use of equipment, such as sunglasses with specific certification for viewing eclipses. Ordinary sunglasses will not be able to prevent vision damage. The damage caused to the retina when looking directly at the sun is permanent and there is no treatment available, says the government.

In the province of Ontario, the eclipse will occur around 3 pm.

How to follow the eclipse in Brazil?

The total solar eclipse will not be visible from Brazil, but the United States Aerospace Agency (NASA) will make a live recording of the phenomenon available. According to the National Observatory, the lunar eclipse can be observed from any point on Earth where the Moon is appearing. But, the solar eclipse is visible only on a part of the planet.

Recently, a penumbral eclipse was recorded in Rio Grande do Sul by the Heller & Jung Observatory. During these phenomena, instead of a complete alignment between the Earth, the Sun and the Moon, the satellite is in the Earth’s penumbra area, which causes a reduction in the Moon’s luminosity.

Rare phenomenon

A total solar eclipse happens every 18 months. But as they can only be seen from a narrow strip of Earth, they appear to be very rare. According to NASA, the next total solar eclipse visible in the United States will occur in August 2044.

One of Canada’s provinces, Quebec, will be able to witness the next phenomenon of this type in about 80 years, in 2106, according to information from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The last time the region saw the event was in 1972. But the next total solar eclipse on the planet as a whole won’t take that long. In August 2026, observers from Spain, a small part of Portugal, Russia, Iceland and Greenland will be able to witness the phenomenon.