Monday's solar eclipse


On Monday, August 21st we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch a total solar eclipse!  Since the Chicago area is not in the path of totality, we will be privy to about 90% of the eclipse. What a great teaching opportunity we have for our children to learn about our universe and improve their interest in science. We strongly encourage parents to take this opportunity to share this momentous occasion with your kids as a way to get them interested in our world and in science. Viewing will be between 11:30 am until 3pm in our area.

Although an extremely rare occurrence, it is important to remember that it also can be very dangerous for a person's (or child's) eyes. The only way to safely view the eclipse is with a pair of properly fitting, NASA certified solar eclipse glasses.  Regular sunglasses will not work.

Our friends at the Wheaton Eye Clinic shared with us the following recommendations from the National Eye Institute (NEI) to safely view the solar eclipse:

A solar eclipse will be visible across North America for 2-3 hours on Monday, August 21, 2017.  Watching the moon slowly block out the sun is a rare opportunity but should be attempted with caution.
“Never look directly at the sun or an eclipse!  The sun’s rays can damage the retina and lead to permanent vision loss,” said Rachel Bishop, M.D., chief of the NEI Consult Service.  The retina is a light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye.  A condition called solar retinopathy occurs when sunlight burns and potentially scars the retina.  Symptoms of solar retinopathy include central graying and fuzziness of vision.
A solar eclipse can be viewed safely by looking through special-purpose solar filters.  These filters must meet an international standard, indicated by ISO 12312-2 certification.
“While using UV-blocking sunglasses is an important part of keeping your eyes healthy, even very dark glasses cannot protect your eyes from damage caused by looking directly at the sun,” Bishop said.  Use of regular sunglasses, damaged solar filters, or peeking between your fingers or through a pinhole to watch a solar eclipse is not safe.
“The only safe way to watch a solar eclipse without a filter is by turning your back to the sun and watching a projection.  Devices such as pinhole projectors allow you to watch an indirect image, which is safe and still exciting,” explained Bishop.
To learn more about solar eclipses and how to watch them safely visit:
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/solar-eclipse-eye-safety
https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety

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