While the rest of New Jersey is craning to get a look at the rare solar eclipse Monday afternoon, incarcerated people in the state’s prisons will be locked inside, state officials said.
Inmates and staff at state Department of Corrections facilities will be kept indoors for the entire solar eclipse for their safety, a spokeswoman said.
“Due to safety concerns and the unavailability of protective eyewear for both incarcerated persons and staff at the New Jersey Department of Corrections, outdoor activities will be suspended from 2 p.m. to approximately 4:30 p.m.,” said Amy Quinn, spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections.
MORE: Solar eclipse path: When and where to see the afternoon sky turn dark on April 8
New York State’s corrections department agreed Thursday to let six men at an upstate prison view the eclipse after they filed a lawsuit.
The men, inmates at Woodbourne Correctional Facility, filed a federal lawsuit arguing the lockdown during the eclipse violated their constitutional right to practice their religion. The rest of the New York’s prisoners will be on a statewide lockdown during the eclipse.
The Great North American Solar Eclipse is expected to begin around 2:09 p.m. Monday in New Jersey. If clouds don’t block the view, New Jersey will see about 90% of the sun blocked by the moon for several minutes at about 3:25 p.m., according to the latest forecast.
The eclipse will end at about 4:35 p.m. in the New Jersey region. At the maximum coverage, the sun is expected to look like a thin crescent moon shining in the afternoon sky.
Experts say 15 states across the nation will get the best view of the solar eclipse, because they will be in the so-called “path of totality” — a 115-mile-wide zone where the moon will completely block the afternoon sun for 2 to 4 minutes.
Stories by Jackie Roman
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Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.