This article is related to a current event in the United States: the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017[ATTACH]62886[/ATTACH]
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How to View a Solar Eclipse Without Damaging Your Eyes
By Calla Cofield, Space.com Senior Writer | August 19, 2017 11:48am ET Eye protection for looking at the sun
Looking directly at the sun without eye protection can cause serious eye damage or blindness. But there are ways to safely observe the sun. During a partial solar eclipse, people often use pinhole cameras to watch the progress of the moon across the sun's surface (pinhole cameras are easy to make at home). This is an "indirect" way of observing the sun, because the viewer sees only a projection of the sun and the moon.
To view the sun directly (and safely), use "solar-viewing glasses" or "eclipse glasses" or "personal solar filters" (these are all names for the same thing), according to the safety recommendations from NASA. The "lenses" of solar-viewing glasses are made from special-purpose solar filters that are hundreds of thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses, according to Rick Fienberg, press officer for the American Astronomical Society (AAS). These glasses are so dark that the face of the sun should be the only thing visible through them, Fienberg said. Solar-viewing glasses can be used to view a solar eclipse, or to look for sunspots on the sun's surface.
But beware! NASA and the AAS recommend that solar-viewing or eclipse glasses meet the current international standard: ISO 12312-2. Some older solar-viewing glasses may meet previous standards for eye protection, but not the new international standard, Fienberg said.
"Manufacturers that meet this standard include Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics and Thousand Oaks Optical," according to the information sheet on safe eclipse viewing. (Click any of the company links to find out how to purchase eclipse glasses). "Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun."
Fienberg said some manufacturers are making solar-viewing glasses with plastic frames, rather than the traditional paper frames. While these may look like regular sunglasses, do not be mistaken. Sunglasses are never a substitute for solar-viewing glasses. Fienberg said some people may even try to view the sun through two or three pairs of sunglasses in an attempt to replicate the protective power of real solar-viewing glasses; however, even multiple pairs of sunglasses will not protect your eyes from sun damage.
Telescopes, cameras, binoculars and other optical devices need their own solar filters. Solar-viewing glasses are not a substitute for a proper solar filter on magnification devices. Never view the disk of the sun through a telescope, binoculars or camera without a proper solar filter. Solar-viewing glasses are not powerful enough to protect your eyes from magnified sunlight. Even if you are wearing solar-viewing glasses, viewing the disk of the sun through a magnification device will result in serious eye damage if the device is not equipped with a proper solar filter, according to the viewing safety sheet.
"The concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury," according to the safety recommendations. "Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device."
Fienberg said there is no need for skywatchers to use a telescope during the eclipse, but a pair of binoculars can be helpful during totality. But, as per the recommendations, do not attempt to look at the disk of the sun through binoculars, even with solar-viewing glasses.
The safety sheet offers these tips regarding solar filters/eclipse glasses/solar viewers:
[ATTACH]62888[/ATTACH]Safety during totalityBaily's beads and diamond rings
The AAS and NASA are expecting huge crowds to flock to the path of totality for the 2017 total solar eclipse, including more experienced eclipse watchers. These seasoned observers may start shouting "Baily's beads!" when the spots of light appear at the edge of the moon. As the eclipse nears totality, people may also shout "Diamond ring!" Fienberg explains that when only one "bead" is still visible at the edge of the moon just before totality, it will glow like a diamond, and the red corona of the sun will create a circular band of light. Together, they will look like a diamond ring.
Experienced observers may decide to look at the eclipse with the naked eye just before the sun is completely covered by the moon, when the diamond ring appears.
"If you're in a group you'll hear people start screaming 'Diamond ring! Diamond ring! Filters off!'" Fienberg said. "If you're paying strict attention to the recommendation that you should not look at the sun without a filter, when any part of the bright face is still visible, you'll wonder if all those people are going blind, but they're not. The reason they're not is because it only lasts a second or so, and then it's gone and you see the corona, and its dark and its spectacular and beautiful."
While you may see some people removing their solar-viewing glasses before the eclipse reaches totality, this is not recommended by the official eclipse-viewing guide from NASA and the AAS.
What you'll see during a total solar eclipsepinhole projector [ATTACH]62889[/ATTACH]
Click on this link to put your zip code in to see the best time for viewing the eclipse.
What time is the eclipse?
The point of greatest duration is where totality lasts the longest along the very center of the path of totality. The greatest duration during the Aug. 21 eclipse is 2 minutes, 40.2 seconds near Makanda, Illinois. Carbondale, Illinois, is the closest large town and will experience 2 minutes, 37 seconds of totality.
The Faroe Islands experienced a total solar eclipse in 2015.
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Ahead of Monday's eclipse in the US, here are four tips from the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, which experienced one in 2015.
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How to View a Solar Eclipse Without Damaging Your Eyes
By Calla Cofield, Space.com Senior Writer | August 19, 2017 11:48am ET Eye protection for looking at the sun
Looking directly at the sun without eye protection can cause serious eye damage or blindness. But there are ways to safely observe the sun. During a partial solar eclipse, people often use pinhole cameras to watch the progress of the moon across the sun's surface (pinhole cameras are easy to make at home). This is an "indirect" way of observing the sun, because the viewer sees only a projection of the sun and the moon.
To view the sun directly (and safely), use "solar-viewing glasses" or "eclipse glasses" or "personal solar filters" (these are all names for the same thing), according to the safety recommendations from NASA. The "lenses" of solar-viewing glasses are made from special-purpose solar filters that are hundreds of thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses, according to Rick Fienberg, press officer for the American Astronomical Society (AAS). These glasses are so dark that the face of the sun should be the only thing visible through them, Fienberg said. Solar-viewing glasses can be used to view a solar eclipse, or to look for sunspots on the sun's surface.
But beware! NASA and the AAS recommend that solar-viewing or eclipse glasses meet the current international standard: ISO 12312-2. Some older solar-viewing glasses may meet previous standards for eye protection, but not the new international standard, Fienberg said.
"Manufacturers that meet this standard include Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics and Thousand Oaks Optical," according to the information sheet on safe eclipse viewing. (Click any of the company links to find out how to purchase eclipse glasses). "Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun."
Fienberg said some manufacturers are making solar-viewing glasses with plastic frames, rather than the traditional paper frames. While these may look like regular sunglasses, do not be mistaken. Sunglasses are never a substitute for solar-viewing glasses. Fienberg said some people may even try to view the sun through two or three pairs of sunglasses in an attempt to replicate the protective power of real solar-viewing glasses; however, even multiple pairs of sunglasses will not protect your eyes from sun damage.
Telescopes, cameras, binoculars and other optical devices need their own solar filters. Solar-viewing glasses are not a substitute for a proper solar filter on magnification devices. Never view the disk of the sun through a telescope, binoculars or camera without a proper solar filter. Solar-viewing glasses are not powerful enough to protect your eyes from magnified sunlight. Even if you are wearing solar-viewing glasses, viewing the disk of the sun through a magnification device will result in serious eye damage if the device is not equipped with a proper solar filter, according to the viewing safety sheet.
"The concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury," according to the safety recommendations. "Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device."
Fienberg said there is no need for skywatchers to use a telescope during the eclipse, but a pair of binoculars can be helpful during totality. But, as per the recommendations, do not attempt to look at the disk of the sun through binoculars, even with solar-viewing glasses.
The safety sheet offers these tips regarding solar filters/eclipse glasses/solar viewers:
[ATTACH]62888[/ATTACH]Safety during totalityBaily's beads and diamond rings
The AAS and NASA are expecting huge crowds to flock to the path of totality for the 2017 total solar eclipse, including more experienced eclipse watchers. These seasoned observers may start shouting "Baily's beads!" when the spots of light appear at the edge of the moon. As the eclipse nears totality, people may also shout "Diamond ring!" Fienberg explains that when only one "bead" is still visible at the edge of the moon just before totality, it will glow like a diamond, and the red corona of the sun will create a circular band of light. Together, they will look like a diamond ring.
Experienced observers may decide to look at the eclipse with the naked eye just before the sun is completely covered by the moon, when the diamond ring appears.
"If you're in a group you'll hear people start screaming 'Diamond ring! Diamond ring! Filters off!'" Fienberg said. "If you're paying strict attention to the recommendation that you should not look at the sun without a filter, when any part of the bright face is still visible, you'll wonder if all those people are going blind, but they're not. The reason they're not is because it only lasts a second or so, and then it's gone and you see the corona, and its dark and its spectacular and beautiful."
While you may see some people removing their solar-viewing glasses before the eclipse reaches totality, this is not recommended by the official eclipse-viewing guide from NASA and the AAS.
What you'll see during a total solar eclipsepinhole projector [ATTACH]62889[/ATTACH]
Click on this link to put your zip code in to see the best time for viewing the eclipse.
What time is the eclipse?
The point of greatest duration is where totality lasts the longest along the very center of the path of totality. The greatest duration during the Aug. 21 eclipse is 2 minutes, 40.2 seconds near Makanda, Illinois. Carbondale, Illinois, is the closest large town and will experience 2 minutes, 37 seconds of totality.
The Faroe Islands experienced a total solar eclipse in 2015.
[ATTACH]62890[/ATTACH]
Ahead of Monday's eclipse in the US, here are four tips from the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, which experienced one in 2015.
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