Keeping It Safe for the 2017 Solar Eclipse

by | Oct 13, 2016 | Eclipses

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Being able to see an eclipse, especially a solar eclipse, is an astronomical phenomenon that many people would love to see at least once in their lifetime. The moon completely blocking out the rays of the sun is something that many people don’t get to see on a regular basis. When the opportunity arises to see a solar eclipse, while the excitement may be high, it is important for people to know there are eclipse safety rules they should follow to keep them and the people around them safe.

Looking at an Eclipse

Looking at a lunar eclipse is not dangerous at all, and looking at complete total eclipse is not harmful to your eyes either. The thing to remember, however, is that the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are moving, so every moment that goes by all three of these objects are moving. It is never recommended that people look directly into the sun for an extended period of time because it can do major damage to your eye sight. As the Moon is moving toward totally eclipsing the Sun and once it is moving past it in the continuation of its rotation, there will be sun rays beaming from the sun. Looking at the sun with the naked eye during a partial or annular eclipse is also not implored not to do, as these types of eclipses can also do damage to your eyes and goes against eclipse safety.

Need for Glasses

When looking at a solar eclipse it is imperative that you are practicing eclipse safety. It is scientifically known, that if you look at a solar eclipse without protection you will do major damage to your eye sight. It is not a myth, or an urban legend. Unlike a lunar eclipse, serious long term damage can be done to the eyes without the correct coverage. The primary element of eclipse safety is getting glasses that protect your eyes from the rays of an eclipsing sun. There is a particular type of glasses called eclipse glasses that are worn by people when they look at a solar eclipse. The glasses need to have the correct type of filter to offer a sufficient amount of protection from the sun rays. Sunglasses, layers of film or, filters used for photography, or simply tinted glass will not give you the protection you need. Contrary to what some people believe using these types of filters is not eclipse safety.

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