The best ways to watch the solar eclipse safely.
Want to experience an astronomical event that the whole family will enjoy and remember forever? On Monday, August 21, a solar eclipse will be visible across North America and will produce a deep twilight in the sky, lasting about two to three hours. Safety is key in watching the solar eclipse because staring directly at the sun can cause permanent damage to your eyes. When watching the solar eclipse, you need to wear special eyewear that contains solar filters.
What is a Solar Eclipse?
The event starts with the moon gradually blocking the sun, which is called a partial eclipse. For only a few minutes, the moon will fully cover the sun producing a halo like effect for everyone to see. This brief moment, called a total eclipse, allows bright stars and planets to be seen, but can only be seen by people within a roughly 70-mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina. A total eclipse rarely occurs in the United States with the last one taken place in March 1979.
Solar Eclipse Safety
To watch the solar eclipse safely, you have to wear “eclipse glasses” or use a hand-held solar view with solar filters. Note that wearing dark sunglasses and making your own filter will not protect your eyes during an eclipse. Click here to find vendors near you that sell eclipse glasses. There are several things to keep in mind when viewing the solar eclipse.
- Check you solar filters for any scratches or damage before use. Do not use glasses if they have any damage.
- Be sure to supervise children with the solar filters.
- If you wear glasses, just put the eclipse glasses over them.
- Before looking at the sun, stand still and cover your eyes with eclipse glasses or the solar viewer. Do not remove the glasses or viewer while looking at the sun. After viewing, turn away and take off the filter.
- Never look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other similar devices. Do not use these devices with your solar filters. The solar rays will come through and damage your eyes.
- Only remove your solar filter during the total eclipse, when the moon blocks the sun completely and it suddenly gets dark. Once the sun begins to reappear, immediately put on your eclipse glasses.
Get In Touch With Pediatric Eye Care Today
Pediatric Eye Care of Maryland takes your child’s eye health very seriously. With a full staff of highly skilled Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, and Orthoptists we’ve got ocular health covered. If you feel any concern about your child’s vision, have questions concerning eye health, or need information on the services we offer contact us today. With 4 convenient locations in Maryland, we are your number one choice for eye treatment!
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