Edging up to Totality

As Totality Day gets Closer, Some Last-minute Thoughts

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 this 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

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’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.

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