Today’s solar eclipse will be the biggest astronomical event of the decade.
And as millions of people around the world prepare to watch this rare event, experts have revealed the three things you should never do.
This includes looking directly at the sun, as well as purchasing eclipse glasses that claim to be ‘NASA-approved’ eclipse glasses.
‘During the partial phase of the eclipse it is incredibly important (not to look directly) as the Sun remains extremely bright,’ says Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society.
“Even if you have a thin crescent left, it’s still easy enough to damage your eyes.”
Today’s solar eclipse will be the biggest astronomical event of the decade. And as millions of people around the world prepare to watch this rare event, experts have revealed the three things you should never do
1. Look directly at the sun
During a solar eclipse, you should never look directly at the sun.
The light-sensitive cells that line the inner lining of your eye are highly sensitive to the intense light and heat generated by the sun.
Direct exposure can kill these cells, which will not naturally regrow in the same way as other cells in the body.
This means that even brief exposure to the sun’s light can lead to permanent damage.
The entire time you are watching the solar eclipse, you should be looking at the sun with proper safety equipment, including a eclipse viewer such as eclipse glasses or a pinhole camera.
Even a colander can be used as a simple pinhole camera, because an image of the sun is projected through each pinhole.
If you use binoculars or a telescope, it is absolutely essential that you install a good solar filter before looking at the sun.
Without a filter, the lenses in a telescope essentially make you boil your eyes with a giant magnifying glass.
NASA advised: ‘Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope without a special solar filter attached over the front of the optic will cause immediate serious eye damage.’
If you can’t find a safe way to view the solar eclipse today, you can always watch the event online Live stream from NASA.
NASA warns that looking at the sun through a telescope without a proper filter, as in this photo, will immediately cause serious injury. You should never look at the sun without proper safety equipment
2. Buy a pair of ‘NASA-approved’ eclipse glasses
NASA does not endorse any specific brand of solar binoculars, so NASA branding is a sure sign that your glasses are fake.
Last month, the American Astronomical Society (AAS) warned that counterfeit solar elipse glasses were flooding the US market.
Many of these viewers fraudulently use the branding of agencies such as the AAS or NASA to appear legitimate.
However, they may not provide you with the right level of protection and could lead to serious eye damage if used.
Rick Fienberg, project manager of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force, says, “There’s no way to tell if eclipse glasses are really safe just by looking at them, but it’s easy to tell if they’re not safe.”
If you’re concerned about your eclipse viewers, Mr. Feinberg recommends turning them on indoors first.
Safe solar binoculars should be so dark that you can’t see anything, except perhaps a few extremely bright lights.
Mr Feinberg said: ‘Sun filters are at least a thousand times darker than even the darkest regular sunglasses.’
NASA does not approve solar binoculars. Any eclipse glasses with the NASA logo are definitely counterfeit, as are these counterfeit glasses, and should not be used
If they pass the indoor test, put the glasses on outside and look around before looking at the sun.
Again, if the glasses are real, you should be able to see nothing other than the faint reflection of the sun on some shiny surfaces.
The AAS also enforces a list of recommended sun-safe solar binoculars which you can check if you are concerned.
3. Driving
Even for the most vigilant drivers, the complete disappearance of the sun will be a significant distraction.
As the moon’s shadow sweeps across the Earth, areas will suddenly plunge into darkness and shadows will become strangely distorted.
However, the most dangerous times to be on the road are the hours just before and after the solar eclipse.
During the 2017 solar eclipse, fatal traffic accidents in the US increased by about 30 percent.
During the hours either side of the eclipse, there will be many more people on the roads than normal, which will lead to more accidents. If you can, avoid driving during the solar eclipse today (file photo)
The biggest increase was seen in the hour leading up to the eclipse as millions of people left at the same time, representing a 50 percent increase compared to the average day.
Besides the obvious distraction, it’s likely that people will pull over to the side of the road to watch the eclipse as it happens, creating even more obstacles in the road.
At a recent press conference, NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free said, “We want to make sure we’re paying attention to pedestrians, it’s important that we stay focused on everyone around us.
“People will probably stop, so be careful.”
In the hours immediately after the eclipse, roads are also likely to be heavily congested with eclipse observers heading home, so wait a while to avoid traffic.