A rare total solar eclipse that will darken the skies in April has prompted the London region's two largest school boards to shift a scheduled professional activity (PA) day.
The Thames Valley and London District Catholic school board have announced they are moving the Friday, April 19 day off to Monday, April 8.
It is between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 8 when the moon will move between the Earth and the sun, causing the eclipse. The peak of the eclipse, when it will be darkest outside, is expected to occur right around school dismissal time.
"The combination of diminished levels of daylight and the potential for damaging eye exposure to the sun are the primary safety concerns that led to this decision," the London District Catholic School Board said in a statement.
The same reasons for the PA day shift were cited by the public school board.
"Looking directly at a total solar eclipse can be dangerous because of the intense sunlight that is still present even when the moon is blocking part of or all of the sun. The sun's rays can cause damage to the eyes," the Thames Valley District School Board said. "Regular sunglasses are not sufficient for looking at a solar eclipse because they do not block the harmful solar radiation."
The school boards have stated educational material and resources about eclipses will be shared with students and staff ahead of the April 8 celestial event.
The Canadian Association of Optometrists has issued a number of tips on how skygazers can safely view the eclipse. Firstly, any one hoping to look at it should only use a solar eclipse viewer that meets international standard ISO 12312-2. Alternatively, a pinhole projector can be used, but viewers must only watch the screen, not the sun, and never look at the sun through the pinhole. The eclipse can also safely be viewed online through the NASA/Exploratorium livestream.
A total solar eclipse has not happened in Canada since February 1979.
