Bring sunblock to a solar event.
My wife and I went to Carbondale, IL to see the 2024 solar eclipse at Southern Illinois University. Our very first eclipse, so we planned as best we could: protective sunglasses, bottles of water, fruit, Kind bars, battery packs for mobile devices, light coats in case it got cold. We got there hours early to get decent parking and not get stuck in traffic.
The weather was perfect, almost no clouds and a light breeze, but as the sun continued to rise it got warmer and warmer. And then we realized what amateurs we were: we had no sunblock. A bald man named Scott was slathering his scalp with sunscreen. Others were do their arms and legs. Whoops. We stayed out of the sun as much as possible and, fortunately, others shared their excess with us.
The eclipse itself was fascinating, 4’8″ totality, temperature dropped 10-15 degrees (Fahrenheit), and the views were amazing.
But remember: an eclipse is a solar event, for which you should bring sunblock!
