Category Archives: totality

eclipses, totality

Safe Observing: Check Your Eclipse Viewers

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eclipse viewing safely
View the eclipse safely using approved solar shades or viewers. Credit: Courtesy Mark Margolis / Rainbow Symphony

The eclipse is coming! As everybody who has even looked at social media knows, there’s a big star party on Monday, August 21st. True, we’ll only be paying the closest attention to ONE star as it gets eclipsed by the Moon, but for millions of people, it’s the event to see. Not only will we be watching from along the path of totality, but many more will see it via the Web and TV. I’ve posted earlier about eclipse viewing and one thing is paramount: view it safely!  This is so important that I’m posting again about how to view safely and what to use.

A total solar eclipse is about as bright as the full Moon — and just as safe to look at without eye protection (and this is important) ONLY DURING TOTALITY. The Sun is dangerously bright to look at without protection. So, outside of totality, you should view it only through special-purpose “eclipse glasses” or hand-held solar viewers. Do NOT use homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses.

An eclipse is an amazing thing to observe and I encourage everybody who can to get out to a place where you can experience totality. Just be safe as you look at the events unfold overhead. Regardless of where you observe from, however, take precautions. If you have eclipse glasses, check them out using this info from the American Astronomical Society. 

Amazon Issues a Recall

In the past few days, Amazon has issued a recall/refund scheme for eclipse viewers it has found to be unsafe. It appears that some sellers have counterfeited glasses to sell. Others, such as Baader, Thousand Oaks, and Lunt are being lumped into that recall, even though those companies are among the best-known and reputable dealers of solar filters out there. If you ordered from Amazon, you may be okay — you may not be. It’s best to test your glasses and filters before the big day.

Above all, be safe! And enjoy the spectacle!
How to tell if the glasses you have are safe?  So, here’s a quick way to tell: hold them up to a lighted bulb and look at the bulb through them. If you can’t see the bulb, then they are okay to use.  I have tested glasses using both regular light bulbs and LED flashlights, and have seen NO light through them. However, they do let me see the Sun. So, perform this simple test and if your glasses don’t let the light from a bulb through, you should be fine with the Sun. As always, YMMV.

Alternate Eclipse Viewing Methods

If you have any doubt about using eclipse viewers, then use the pinhole projection method. The AAS site outlines how to do it using varying methods. The TL;DR version is: use a pin to prick a hole in a piece of cardboard. Let sunshine stream through the hole onto a piece of white paper or a wall or even the ground. During the eclipse, you will see tiny little eclipsed Suns in the interplay of light and shadow. This is for indirect viewing only. Obviously, don’t look at the Sun through the colandar or cheese grater.

Other folks, such as my friend Martin Ratcliffe, suggest using a colander or a cheese grater. You can also lace your fingers together as a sort of makeshift colander. If there are trees nearby, look at the shadows their leaves cast on the ground during the eclipse.

Above all, be safe! And enjoy the spectacle! If nothing else, check out the online eclipse casts. NASA is hosting one and I imagine every TV station in the country (if not around the world) will be doing the same.

Don’t Discard those Glasses!

Okay, so after the eclipse, those glasses aren’t just junk. For one thing, there will be another eclipse crossing the U.S. in 2024. Until then, you can safely use your viewers to view the Sun and look for sunspots. Make your viewers part of your sky observing toolkit. Just keep them safely stowed away in an envelope or something that will prevent damage to the solar filter material. They should last you for several years, but always do a safety check before using them to view the Sun.

astronomy, eclipses, totality

Edging up to Totality

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As Totality Day gets Closer

eclipse glasses to wear before totality
Eclipse glasses are the “go to” fashion need for every gazer as you watch the Sun slip into totality. Copyright 2012 Carolyn Collins Petersen
Some last-minute thoughts about the upcoming eclipse to help you get ready.
A week or so back, I wrote about some common-sense things to remember as you view totality during the solar eclipse this month. Everything I said remains valid. However, in the past week or so, I’ve seen reports that unscrupulous sellers are marketing eclipse glasses and hand-held viewers that may not protect your eyes AT ALL. Apparently, some were being sold via Amazon.com, and that company pulled the products from its online selling area.  Others are showing up in stores and  from street vendors. It’s wise to be wary of any that you suspect might not be safe to use.

The American Astronomical Society has put out a release about this.  Go read their article as soon as you can; it’s chock full of good and helpful info. That organization (I’m a long-time member) and others have been warning people to check for the ISO certification on the solar viewers and eclipse glasses they have, and it now turns out (no surprise) that some jerks are printing it on merchandise to make a buck.  You can check a list of vendors approved to sell such glasses to make sure yours are okay.

Checking Your Viewers

Protect your peepers!
How do you know if the glasses you have safe to use, regardless of what’s printed on them?  Hold them up to the Sun.  You should be able to see the Sun through them (don’t wear them, just hold them up). Next, hold them up to a lamp or ceiling light. If you can see those lights through them, they’re NOT safe for solar viewing. The only thing you can see through a safely produced set of glasses or a handheld viewer should be the Sun.  You can also check for light leaks and pinpricks in the solar filter material while you’re at it.  Do this simple safety check before you put them on or let your loved ones use them.

When to Use Your Viewers

Viewers and solar eclipse glasses are for use during the pre-totality periods, when the Sun isn’t completely blocked. Once totality starts — AND, YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY — then you can take them off and look directly at the Sun. This only lasts for a couple of minutes before you have to put the glasses back on.

Please don’t take a chance with your eyes, or your loved one’s eyes.
 Check your glasses in advance. If you got rooked, get a different pair from a planetarium or library.  If you got them through Amazon, you can probably get your money back.   Enjoy the eclipse, but don’t risk your eyesight with crap sold by dishonest jerks who care more about making money than they do about your eyes.

The Roads to Totality

You won’t be the only one on the road!
You’ve probably heard there will be a few people on the road the day of totality, heading for the path to soak in some umbral experience. It’s true. Millions of people WILL be heading out to do that. If you are going to wait til the day of the eclipse, I urge you to be prepared. If it’s a day trip, don’t depend on local services where you’re going, unless you already have a spot selected and arrangements made. No matter what, bring food, water, TP, sunblock, a hat, and make sure the car is gassed up. I’ve heard that cellular services could be overwhelmed for short periods of time as people try to navigate to their spots and upload pics and call their friends, etc.

My recommendation is to leave very early.  Like, the day before, and get yourself in place. If you don’t have arrangements for a place to stay, you may end up sleeping in your car. The instructions above still apply: be prepared. And, once totality is over, also be prepared to be waiting a long time before you can drive home.  It may take several hours for roads to clear.

Most Important of All: Enjoy Totality

The experience of an eclipse is an amazing one. This one will be my seventh total solar eclipse and I expect it to be short, beautiful, and memorable. Once you are in place, enjoy it. Look around during totality, marvel at the changes you see. And, once it’s over, you’ll have experienced one of nature’s most intriguing events.