New York Yankees push back start time of April 8 game because of solar eclipse

An overall view of Yankee Stadium during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The New York Yankees announced on Thursday that it will push back its MLB game on April 8 because of the solar eclipse taking place that day.

The home game against the Miami Marlins was originally scheduled to start at 2.05 p.m. E.T. but now has been pushed back four hours to 6.05 p.m.
E.T.

Per CNN, the solar eclipse will take place between 2.11 p.m. E.T. and 4.36 p.m. E.T. in New York City, with an 80-85% eclipse at 3.25 p.m. E.T.

Fans will still be able to enter the ground from 3 p.m. E.T., with the first 15,000 fans in attendance receiving a free Yankees solar eclipse T-shirt.

Eclipse mania has gripped the US ahead of the last total solar eclipse in the US until 2044. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s face.

The eclipse’s path of totality stretches across portions of 13 US states as well as parts of Canada and Mexico.

Those within the path of totality, or locations where the moon’s shadow will completely cover the sun, will see a total solar eclipse. People outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse, where the moon only blocks part of the sun’s face.

If your location only affords a view of the partial solar eclipse, some of the sun’s powerful light will always be visible. And any glimpse of the sun’s brightness with the naked eye is not only uncomfortable, it’s dangerous.

Due to the danger of looking directly into the sun’s glare, experts stress the importance of wearing bespoke eclipse glasses to view the eclipse to avoid suffering long-term damage.

Certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer should be used to watch the eclipse instead of regular sunglasses as they are 100,000 times darker and held to an international safety standard.

The lenses of solar eclipse glasses are made of black polymer, or resin infused with carbon particles, that blocks nearly all visible, infrared and ultraviolet light, according to The Planetary Society. Sunglasses don’t block infrared radiation.

CNN’s Terry Ward and Ashley Strickland contributed to this report.