As most of North America probably knows, we will be graced by a magnificent solar eclipse this Monday, August 2, 2017. A solar eclipse is a phenomenon that occurs when the moon gets between the sun and the earth. Monday, several of us will experience a total eclipse, meaning the moon, the sun and the earth will be aligned and the moon will seem to completely cover the sun. However, this event is not all fun and games; there are several crucial things to consider in order to view this event safely and without harm coming to you or your electronics.
- Don’t attempt to look at the eclipse with naked eyes.
- Even though everyone says not to look directly at the eclipse, it may still seem tempting to you. In fact, it even seemed tempting to me, until I found out what happens if you disobey. Because of how close the sun is, looking at the eclipse without glass, a proper telescope or an eclipse viewer, can fry your eyes within seconds. Think of the way your skin gets sunburned, this basically happens to your eyes, yet the damage is permanent. If you value your sight, don’t look directly at the sun Monday.
- Beware of faulty glasses!
- Amazon just had to recall a large, but undisclosed number of eclipse glasses issued by the Oak Brook Library that have been purchased by several schools. Watching the eclipse through these counterfeit glasses can cause permanent damage to your retina. In fact, there are several schools in Georgia that will not be able to view the eclipse at all because of the massive recall. Be sure to check with your school concerning the distributor (it should be on the list of NASA approved manufacturers/brands) of the glasses you will use during the eclipse; it is always better to be safe than live with permanent eye damage.
- Be careful when attempting to take smartphone pictures of the eclipse!
- This is very important, as many of us would love to take a picture of such a beautiful scientific event. Listen up because you might damage your smartphone camera if you are not careful. On auto, your smartphone camera should be fine; however, it is very easy to accidentally look at the sun (whether indirectly or directly) and that can cause permanent eye damage. Overall, it is an okay idea to take pictures of your surroundings during the eclipse and your friends’ reactions to the eclipse, but it’s also a great idea to live in the moment and leave eclipse photographs to the professionals. However, if you are determined to get a great iPhone picture for snapchat, NASA has released a highly informative document that can teach you to take smartphone pictures safely and effectively.
- Be careful when using telescopes to view the eclipse.
- Several solar eyepieces that can be sold with amateur telescopes are not safe and can crack. Use one of your school’s professional telescopes, if they have one, and check to make sure all the required filters are all on so you don’t fry the telescope and consequently, your eyes.
- Most importantly, remember to have fun.
- Eclipse viewing can be really fun when you follow all the safety precautions and remember to live in the moment. Since the last solar eclipse seen by part of the United States was in the 70s and the last time it was seen by the entirety of the U.S. was nearly 100 years ago, many of us have never seen a total solar eclipse in person, so this will be a beautiful event. Stay safe and enjoy the view!
