How To View the Solar Eclipse Safely

Get excited! The Great American Eclipse will be here in under one month!

The solar eclipse will be visible everywhere in the country, but will only be a full eclipse in certain areas.  The full eclipse will only be available for people to see along a 67-mile wide path that arches from Oregon to South Carolina.

Now, as cool as it is going to be to be able to see the moon fully cover the sun, you really need to be careful about how you look at it...

First off, it is never safe to look straight at the sun.  The sun is so bright that any amount of time spent looking directly at it can cause retina damage.  This damage can cause temporary or permanent blindness, depending on the situation.

So, when it comes to watching the Great American Eclipse, it is very important that you have the proper viewing tools.

There are solar filters and special eclipse glasses that can be used.  However, one of the easiest options are welder's goggles.  If you buy and use number 14 welder's glass, you'll be good to go.

Do not look at the sun or the eclipse through regular sunglasses, unfiltered telescopes, or cameras.

There is only a very small period of time when it is safe to look straight at the sun, and that is during the 2-3 minutes when the moon will be completely blocking it.

Optometrist Myron Wasiuta said, "But you've got to be careful.  Just before it's over, you'll see beads of light starting to form on the trailing edge. That's the sign that you need to avert your eyes. The sun can be bright enough to cause retinal damage."

Read the full story at USA Today


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