An awesome cosmic event is going to take place next month. There will be a total solar eclipse on April 8.
The solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks the sun completely, making it dark for a few minutes in the middle of the day.
The total solar eclipse is expected to cause widespread cell phone disruptions for millions of Americans due to the surge in tourists flocking to areas where the eclipse will be visible.
Millions of people are expected to travel to witness the extraordinary celestial event. An estimated 32 million people are expected to watch the event in the narrow path of totality, including popular tourist spots like Texas, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Maine and New York.
Officials have cautioned about potential disruptions to cell phone connectivity, which may affect millions of users.
To avoid dropped calls and slow texts, cell phone companies are deploying additional signal boosters and portable towers to address the expected surge in high-traffic areas.
Places along the path of totality, where the total solar eclipse will be visible, are expected to be most affected. The eclipse will be visible across a narrow path in North and Central America. Texas is expected to be one of the most crowded spots.
Rebecca Owens, director of the Richland County Emergency Management Authority, highlighted the impending challenges, saying, “Cell phone reception will be very, very sketchy. There will be lots of issues with connectivity and that type of thing.”
There are concerns also that extend beyond communication disruptions. These concerns are about the potential impact on solar energy generation.
Data scientist Hugh Cutcher forecasts up to a 16 percent loss in daily irradiance for individual solar assets and an overall 11.7 percent drop in Texas’ total daily solar generation.
If you are heading to Texas, enable Wi-Fi calling on your phone in case your regular signal cuts out.
Moreover, you need to keep one thing in mind. It is super important that you never look directly at the sun during an eclipse, not even with sunglasses. It can damage your eyes. If are intent on watching, use special eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector to watch safely.