As soon as the sun starts to reappear, it’s time to put your eclipse viewing glasses back on. Once the eclipse has reached totality, this is the only time it’s safe to remove eye protection. Only parts of 14 states will be in the path of the eclipse where the moon will completely cover the sun for two to three minutes. #2: You must wear your eclipse glasses at all times when looking at the sun, unless you’re in the zone of totality. Even the darkest sunglasses do not sufficiently reduce the amount of light hitting the back of your eyes. While you might think your daily wear glasses or sunglasses would help, those lenses won’t fly - they do not properly protect your eyes during an eclipse. The only perfect pair of glasses for viewing the eclipse is one that includes ISO-certified film to reduce your exposure to harmful light from the sun. #1: You don’t have the right eye protection. But if you’re “too cool,” “too busy,” or simply not interested in experiencing this momentous occasion, here are some reasons to justify staying indoors on August 21. Here’s the key – you have to be prepared to truly enjoy the eclipse safely and avoid permanent eye damage. Whether you're located in the zone of totality or will see only a partial eclipse, it’s time to consider whether you’ll look up or look away during this major celestial event. You can learn more about the eclipse from NASA, including more information about the path of the eclipse and when viewing will be best in your area.By now, you probably know that all of North America will experience a solar eclipse on August 21.
“They too could be a victim of drivers who aren’t watching the road, but are instead watching the sun,” Hecox said. There’s concern for cyclists and pedestrians as well. There’s great concern, Hecox said, for commercial truck drivers who might be distracted trying to glimpse the eclipse. “Just because you aren’t watching it, doesn’t mean somebody else isn’t being distracted by it,” Hecox noted. If you do keep moving on the road, pay close attention. “Enjoy the show from a place of safety,” Hecox advised. Instead, plan ahead and stop somewhere to take it all in. 21, Hecox said, drivers should not pull over alongside the road and shouldn’t wear eclipse glasses while driving. When the eclipse is in progress on Monday, Aug.
The Federal Highway Administration is warning drivers to take caution on the roads next Monday, noting that this is a distracted driver issue as well. It’s also not just watching the eclipse that could prove dangerous. The American Academy of Ophthalmology also has a helpful video: A special filter is required to view without damage to your eyes. Do not look at a partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, binoculars or telescope – even if you are wearing solar viewing glasses.Always inspect your solar filter before you use it – if it is scratched or damaged in any way, do not use it.Homemade filters are also not safe to use to look at the sun. Sunglasses should not be used in place of solar viewing glasses – they will not protect your eyes from damage. Using protective eyewear will allow observers to look directly at the sun during the eclipse.Always supervise children using solar viewing glasses or viewers with solar filters. Anyone planning to view the eclipse should wear a pair of solar viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers that contain solar filters.Here are some great tips from Children’s National Medical Center on how you and your kids can properly and safely watch the eclipse: Remember – to be sure your glasses are safe for viewing, they should have the number 12312-2 included. You can also contact your local library or see if there are watch parties in your communities. To safely look at the sun during the eclipse, you and your family can get special solar filters, like the ones used in “eclipse glasses.” If you haven’t gotten yours yet, the American Astronomical Society has a list of reputable vendors of solar filters and viewers. It’s exciting to see a solar eclipse, but looking directly at the sun can permanently damage your eyes or even cause blindness. So how can we watch the eclipse safely with our kids so they can properly appreciate such an amazing moment? This Monday, August 21, however, every American from coast to coast will be able to take part in this incredible event. And to find one that was visible through the entire contiguous United States is even rarer – you’d have to go back almost a century, to June 1918. You couldn’t even watch that one from the United States – the most recent one that was visible from America was back in 1979. Solar eclipses are rare enough occurrences, with the most recent one coming in August 1999.