Millions of Americans to gaze upon Monday’s once-in-a-lifetime eclipse

Clayton Uyeda and his wife Jo will be on a ferry – en route from Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island to Tsawwassen on the mainland – when the partial solar eclipse in Canada begins in Victoria at 9:08 a.m. Monday. “At maximum, it will have a small sliver of the sun still showing toward the top of the sun”.

But total solar eclipses aren’t just rare to specific locations on Earth; they’re also pretty rare in the universe in general.

On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun.

Monday’s solar eclipse “is right up there with some of the coolest things you can watch”, said FIU astronomy professor James Webb. The eclipse will last longest near Carbondale, Illinois: two minutes and 44 seconds.

Yes, looking directly at the solar eclipse can result in impaired vision or blindness, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

“This will be my seventh eclipse and I think everyone has to see one at least once in their lives because it is an unworldly experience literally”. “But before and after, approved eyewear should be used”.

But they’re hard to find now and you risk eye damage if you look directly at the sun without those special glasses.

The most important thing is to ensure any pair of glasses are scratch-free and ISO certified, reports NASA, with the worldwide safety standard “ISO 12312-2” on the label.

Dr. Julia R. Kilmer-Small, optometrist with Martinsburg Optical, said that viewing glasses are a must when viewing the solar eclipse.

Researchers say the eclipse is important because it will enable astronomers to study the outer realm of the Sun, known as the corona.

If you’re fortunate enough to be in the direct path of the eclipse and catch full coverage, your window for seeing the totality will be tighter.

Some might take issue with that prediction, citing a solar eclipse visible over parts of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and central China in July 2009. You can look indirectly with a pinhole projector that you can make yourself. Hold up a sheet of white paper or a white index card at the open end, and an image of the sun with a large chunk missing should show.

Arkansas State University’s Student Activities Board and Student Government Association will hand out free eclipse-viewing glasses to students on their first day of school on the Jonesboro campus. That could severely hurt your eyes.

“For those viewing with telescopes, will also need to ensure that the telescopes are protected with proper solar filters”. The Southern Cross Astronomical Society will have professional telescopes on site for eclipse viewing from 1 p.m.to 4 p.m. Admission tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for children ages 4-14.

The other reason for the trip is he likely won’t be around for the next total solar eclipse over Fargo-Moorhead in 2099, as he would be 130 years old.

That will only happen in the path of totality, between OR and SC. Don’t use eclipse glasses with filters that are crumpled, scratched or torn. Eclipse enthusiasts can use a pinhole camera or a bucket of water at impoverished level or buy a moderate-priced, special pair of dark glasses for the goal; a pair of sunglasses, designer or not, are not recommended, though.

Brent Fisher, assistant director of fire and rescue services and emergency management for Nash County Emergency Services, recommends the following sites for more information about eclipse viewing safety.