Monday’s solar eclipse: Myths debunked

(NewsNation) — Monday’s total solar eclipse will land along Mexico’s Pacific coast and cross into Texas and 14 other U.S. states before exiting over Canada.

The moon will shroud the sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, a spectacle normally unfolding in remote corners of the globe but this time passing over major cities like Dallas, Indianapolis and Cleveland. An estimated 44 million people live within the path of totality, with another couple hundred million within 200 miles, guaranteeing the continent’s biggest eclipse crowd ever.

With the next total solar eclipse visible on the U.S. mainland set to occur in August 2044, some myths and falsehoods have begun to take root about the rare occurrence.

Myth: The eclipse will unleash a wave of earthquakes across the U.S.

There are no scientific reasons to believe an eclipse could shift tectonic plates. But some social media users on Reddit, X and TikTok have claimed that the total solar eclipse will cause massive seismic activity along the path of totality.

According to Gavin Hayes, senior science adviser for earthquake and geologic hazards at the United States Geological Survey, earthquakes are the result of the tectonic plates slowly moving against each other and creating friction over time. An eclipse could not cause that.

Myth: Those who are pregnant should not watch an eclipse because it can harm your baby

According to NASA, an eclipse will not harm pregnant women or their fetuses. The U.S. space agency said that myth stems from a false idea that the sun emits harmful radiation during an eclipse.

“Every second, your body is pelted by trillions of these neutrinos no matter if the sun is above or below the horizon,” the agency said.

Myth: Solar eclipses produce harmful rays that can cause blindness

This myth is tied to electromagnetic radiation, seen as light and sometimes accompanied by a green hue, that emits from the sun’s atmosphere during a total solar eclipse. The radiation, which has drawn scientific study for centuries, is a million times fainter than the light of the sun, according to NASA.

“There is nothing in the coronal light that could cross 150 million kilometers of space, penetrate our dense atmosphere, and cause blindness,” NASA writes, adding that retinal damage is possible if you stare directly at the sun before it is completely obscured.

Myth: Eclipses will poison your food

Along with other fears focused on solar rays during an eclipse, NASA notes another falsehood claiming that radiation will harm your food.

“The basic idea is that total solar eclipses are terrifying and their ghostly green coronae look frightening, so it is natural to want to make up fearful stories about them and look for coincidences among events around you,” NASA writes.

Myth: It’s completely safe to stare at the eclipse

Staring at an eclipse without adequate eye protection can cause retina damage and severe eye injury — you’ll need solar eclipse viewing glasses to observe it safely. Several U.S. retailers and entities, including Warby Parker, MyEyeDr., Smoothie King and Sonic Drive-In, are giving away these glasses for free.