Solar Eclipse (August 21, 2017) count down!

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cee134
cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
in Chit-Chat
On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the path of totality can see one of nature’s most awe inspiring sights - a total solar eclipse.

This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun's tenuous atmosphere - the corona - can be seen, will stretch from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.

81meubmaydv7.jpg

Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk.
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  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
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    7w6k434820v7.png

    This celestial event is a solar eclipse in which the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun for up to about three hours, from beginning to end, as viewed from a given location. For this eclipse, the longest period when the moon completely blocks the sun from any given location along the path will be about two minutes and 40 seconds. The last time the contiguous U.S. saw a total eclipse was in 1979.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
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    4bml1iz7o4fw.png
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
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    You never want to look directly at the sun without appropriate protection except during totality. That could severely hurt your eyes. However, there are many ways to safely view an eclipse of the sun including direct viewing – which requires some type of filtering device and indirect viewing where you project an image of the sun onto a screen. Both methods should produce clear images of the partial phase of an eclipse. Click here for eclipse viewing techniques and safety.

    4nplgdsk005v.png
    1crikr7cvl7s.png
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    edited August 2017
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    You can use this interactive map from NASA to zoom in on the path and find out the exact locations from which it will be visible. Remember, even 99.99 % magnitude is not the same as totality.

    https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-maps
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
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    This eclipse for someone located in Greenville AL will only achieve about 90% magnitude:

    ilynhvdb3wrw.jpg

    A nice partial, but honestly, this level of eclipse would not cause anyone to become very excited.

    However, for those in Greenvile KY or Greenville SC, the eclipse will reach this 90% level, and then will continue on toward totality! People there WILL experience totality, and will be amazed.

    So that’s why we say that for Alabama, this eclipse is only going to be so many % partial – yet the 2017 eclipse can still rightfully be called a “total” eclipse. It’s total for some people!

    But you have to be in the path!
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
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    Historical Cloud Cover Charts

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  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
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    Fake Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Flooding the Market: How to Stay Safe

    The Federal Trade Commission has released a statement with safety guidelines for solar viewing glasses.

    https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/planning-watch-eclipse-read-first?utm_source=govdelivery

    Start by making sure that the glasses or viewers you’re considering have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product, and are certified as safe. The certification means the glasses and solar viewers have met an international safety standard and are safe for your eyes. Only consider products marked with ISO 12312-2, which means that the product has met the international safety standard. According to the American Astronomical Society, to date, only five manufacturers meet the standard for this certification:

    American Paper Optics
    Baader Planetarium (AstroSolar Silver/Gold film only)
    Rainbow Symphony
    Thousand Oaks Optical
    TSE 17

    What else do you need to know to watch the eclipse safely?
    • Be sure your glasses or viewers are new: glasses that are more than 3 years old, or are wrinkled or scratched, won’t protect your eyes.
    • Read – and follow – the instructions carefully.
    • Don’t use homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses.
    • Never look directly at the sun without eclipse glasses or solar viewers that are certified as safe. (Again, look for ISO 12312-2 to be printed on the product.) It can lead to serious injury.
    • Don’t look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device – even using your eclipse glasses or viewer. Those optical devices concentrate the solar rays, will damage your eclipse glasses or viewer, and seriously injure your eyes.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited August 2017
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    St. Louis (Jefferson County) here, right in the middle of the path.
    We bought glasses from American Paper Optics that are CE and ISO 12312-2 certified for about $1 a pair.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    cee134 wrote: »
    Fake Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Flooding the Market: How to Stay Safe

    The Federal Trade Commission has released a statement with safety guidelines for solar viewing glasses.

    https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/planning-watch-eclipse-read-first?utm_source=govdelivery

    Start by making sure that the glasses or viewers you’re considering have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product, and are certified as safe. The certification means the glasses and solar viewers have met an international safety standard and are safe for your eyes. Only consider products marked with ISO 12312-2, which means that the product has met the international safety standard. According to the American Astronomical Society, to date, only five manufacturers meet the standard for this certification:

    American Paper Optics
    Baader Planetarium (AstroSolar Silver/Gold film only)
    Rainbow Symphony
    Thousand Oaks Optical
    TSE 17

    What else do you need to know to watch the eclipse safely?
    • Be sure your glasses or viewers are new: glasses that are more than 3 years old, or are wrinkled or scratched, won’t protect your eyes.
    • Read – and follow – the instructions carefully.
    • Don’t use homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses.
    • Never look directly at the sun without eclipse glasses or solar viewers that are certified as safe. (Again, look for ISO 12312-2 to be printed on the product.) It can lead to serious injury.
    • Don’t look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device – even using your eclipse glasses or viewer. Those optical devices concentrate the solar rays, will damage your eclipse glasses or viewer, and seriously injure your eyes.

    Great post Cee! We have been selling the shiznit out of proper glasses at our Eyecare office. We are also very lucky that we are 20 minutes from a prime viewing spot and we are closing for awhile to go watch!
  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
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    The moon needs to move in front of this


    ftjxwmg3ic7z.gif
  • browneyedgirl749
    browneyedgirl749 Posts: 4,984 Member
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    I've had my glasses for over a month! One of my co-workers bought a pack of them for the team. They are sitting on my desk, as I will be at work when this happens.
  • browneyedgirl749
    browneyedgirl749 Posts: 4,984 Member
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    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »
    The moon needs to move in front of this


    ftjxwmg3ic7z.gif

    How did you get my video?!
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
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    How to Tell if Your Eclipse Glasses Are Unsafe (and What To Do About It)

    https://www.space.com/37698-solar-eclipse-glasses-safety-check.html
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Free Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Out There, If You Know Where to Look

    https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/free-solar-eclipse-glasses-are-out-there-if-you-know-ncna788861


  • seramachickens
    seramachickens Posts: 20 Member
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    I'm in the path for totality!!!
  • browneyedgirl749
    browneyedgirl749 Posts: 4,984 Member
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    cqbkaju wrote: »
    How to Tell if Your Eclipse Glasses Are Unsafe (and What To Do About It)

    https://www.space.com/37698-solar-eclipse-glasses-safety-check.html

    My office has our own resident Sheldon Cooper. He told me if the glasses have the ISO symbol, they are good.
  • LittleLionHeart1
    LittleLionHeart1 Posts: 3,655 Member
    Options
    cee134 wrote: »
    You never want to look directly at the sun without appropriate protection except during totality. That could severely hurt your eyes. However, there are many ways to safely view an eclipse of the sun including direct viewing – which requires some type of filtering device and indirect viewing where you project an image of the sun onto a screen. Both methods should produce clear images of the partial phase of an eclipse. Click here for eclipse viewing techniques and safety.

    4nplgdsk005v.png
    1crikr7cvl7s.png

    Thank You!!! I was wondering this exact thing!!! B)
  • LittleLionHeart1
    LittleLionHeart1 Posts: 3,655 Member
    Options
    cee134 wrote: »
    Fake Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Flooding the Market: How to Stay Safe

    The Federal Trade Commission has released a statement with safety guidelines for solar viewing glasses.

    https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/planning-watch-eclipse-read-first?utm_source=govdelivery

    Start by making sure that the glasses or viewers you’re considering have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product, and are certified as safe. The certification means the glasses and solar viewers have met an international safety standard and are safe for your eyes. Only consider products marked with ISO 12312-2, which means that the product has met the international safety standard. According to the American Astronomical Society, to date, only five manufacturers meet the standard for this certification:

    American Paper Optics
    Baader Planetarium (AstroSolar Silver/Gold film only)
    Rainbow Symphony
    Thousand Oaks Optical
    TSE 17

    What else do you need to know to watch the eclipse safely?
    • Be sure your glasses or viewers are new: glasses that are more than 3 years old, or are wrinkled or scratched, won’t protect your eyes.
    • Read – and follow – the instructions carefully.
    • Don’t use homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses.
    • Never look directly at the sun without eclipse glasses or solar viewers that are certified as safe. (Again, look for ISO 12312-2 to be printed on the product.) It can lead to serious injury.
    • Don’t look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device – even using your eclipse glasses or viewer. Those optical devices concentrate the solar rays, will damage your eclipse glasses or viewer, and seriously injure your eyes.

    Ok ;)
  • _pi3_
    _pi3_ Posts: 2,311 Member
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    Woooo let's go

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