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Astrophysicist Jamie Lombardi, PhD, shares key points to ensure full appreciation of the extremely rare event of the solar eclipse.

Although solar eclipses are fairly common, total solar eclipses in any given region are rare. In Erie and Crawford counties, the last total eclipse occurred in 1806, and after this month, the next one won’t be until 2144. What makes a total eclipse special is that it’s dark as night during the day, while the moon completely obscures the sun.

Astrophysicist Jamie Lombardi, PhD, professor of physics at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, explained that during totality, eclipse viewers are shielded from the sun’s intense visible light, ultraviolet radiation, and infrared radiation.

“Although the corona is still visible, it is much dimmer than the disk of the sun and is safe to view with the naked eye,” Lombardi told Healthline.