Myrtle Beach, Get Ready for the Eclipse!

By now you have most likely heard of the eclipse that will be lining up across South Carolina on August 21st. Places like Columbia, Charleston, and even Georgetown will be experiencing full visibility and places farther north, like Myrtle Beach will be experiencing visibility in the 90’s percentage range. By the end of August the Grand Strand is usually experiencing a decrease in the amount of tourists that are in town, since people are heading back to school. But, it is expected that 1 million people will travel to South Carolina to view this historic event!

We encourage everyone to plan accordingly. Seeing as how there will be a lot of excitement, there is a possibility things could get a bit chaotic. Everyone should have a plan for where they will be that day and try to get there with enough time to plan for crowds both, on the road and at whatever site you will be viewing the eclipse from. Lots of local business are having “eclipse parties”.

The one thing that is probably most important is that you make sure you and your family have your official safe eclipse viewing glasses! NASA put out a warning last month that said there were a lot of fake glasses circulating. Trying to view the eclipse without glasses or without the proper pair could greatly increase the chance of doing permanent damage to your eye. The correct glasses should say CE and ISO certified.

The eclipse is scheduled to begin around 1:15 with totality beginning at 2:40 and lasting for less than 5 minutes. The eclipse will officially be over around 4pm. If you are not along the Grand Strand and are in a part of the country that will not directly be able to view the eclipse, you can watch it live at www.nasa.gov/eclipselive.