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[title]Bill Nye says you can’t miss this month’s solar eclipse.
For more than three decades, Bill Nye the Science Guy has zanily schooled us on everything science, from dinosaurs to digestion and skin to space. And now, he's making sure that we all take in the celestial spectacle that is this year's solar eclipse.
“I really encourage everybody to take that day, that midday drive up the road. Get in the totality,” he tells Time Out New York. “If you're not quite in the path, it’s not quite the same.”
On Monday, April 8, the sky will dim as the moon eclipses the sun, casting swaths of North America in darkness for just a few minutes. Here in New York City, the solar eclipse will hit around 3:25pm—and it’s going to be a big moment, according to the authority on planetary matters.
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“You're talking about three minutes, 18 seconds ... it will change your life," he tells us.
It will change your life.
New York City isn’t in the direct path of the eclipse, meaning we’ll see only about 89% of the totality. An interactive map on the Planetary Society’s website shows that some nearby cities, like Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse will see the full eclipse—and Nye says it’s worth getting there to see it in full.
But if you can’t make it out of the city, there are plenty of eclipse events to enjoy here. Even if you just head out to the sidewalk with your neighbors, that works, too.
“It’s a so-called shared experience,” Nye says, adding it’s like the experience of watching Manhattanhenge with lots of other New Yorkers. But this will be even better—“the total eclipse is Manhattanhenge turned up to 11,” he says.
The total eclipse is Manhattanhenge turned up to 11.
No matter where you go to see it, you must use eclipse glasses. As NASA puts it: “You must look through safe solar viewing glasses ('eclipse glasses') or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun.” You can even find Bill Nye-branded glasses here; you can also pick up free eclipse glasses at local libraries and tourism centers.
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Once you’ve got your eclipse glasses safely secured, Nye recommends being in the moment. Leave the photography to the pros, who know how to do it safely and will post their photos online.
As for Nye, he’ll watch at the Planetary Society’s Eclipse-O-Rama party in Texas, where they have a good chance of avoiding clouds. Clouds, of course, are more likely in the New York area, but even a cloudy day eclipse is worth your time, he says.
Eclipses have always enchanted people. They often figure into literature and movies, used as a device to portray drama, high emotional stakes, and terror. Even animals can feel a bit off-kilter during an eclipse. Nocturnal wildlife sometimes wakes up during totality, thinking that it's nighttime, and non-nocturnal wildlife might think it's time for sleep.
Nowadays, modern science enables astronomers to predict the time of an eclipse “within hundredths of a second,” Nye explains.
The sense of wonder hasn’t changed, though.
We just wonder where we came from. We wonder about the cosmos and our place within it. Everybody does.
“We just wonder where we came from. We wonder about the cosmos and our place within it. Everybody does. Everybody wonders if there are other people on other planets or on other stars, wondering if we are here and back and forth.”
As a longtime educator for kids, the 68-year-old hopes kids “pause and think about their place in the cosmos. How remarkable it is that we understand the motion of the Earth and moon with such precision.”
Though he’s no longer on the airwaves, Nye continues his important work, particularly through his role as CEO of The Planetary Society.
Just like Nye’s show helped kids understand science and inspired them as learners, the Planetary Society hopes to empower people to advance space science and exploration. Space can seem nebulous to the average New Yorker. It’s tough to see the stars in many parts of the city thanks to light pollution. NASA isn’t in the news very much considering its budget cuts. And with the significant problems facing Earthlings on the ground, dreaming about the cosmos can feel like a luxury reserved for the ultra-rich.
For kids—and adults—who want to learn more about science in NYC, he has a few recommendations: The American Museum of Natural History, especially the planetarium, and MoMath (the National Museum of Mathematics). He also encourages kids to visit the Statue of Liberty and Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park at Roosevelt Island—places that he hopes will amaze and encourage kids to work together to make the world a better place with science.
In that vein, Nye has a pretty big item on his agenda: Planetary defense. An asteroid named Apophis will pass by the Earth in 2029. “We want to be involved in what we're calling the dress rehearsal for planetary defense. Keeping the Earth from getting hit with an asteroid.”
Don't miss this eclipse. It's a big deal.
But first, he’s going to enjoy the eclipse.
“Don't miss this eclipse. It's a big deal. The next one's not for 20 years. You don't know where you're going to be or if you're going to be able to be there. So catch this one.”