Protect Your Eyes During the Total Eclipse on Aug. 21

The United States will experience a total solar eclipse Monday afternoon beginning around 1:13 p.m., peaking at 2:42 p.m. and ending at 4:04 p.m. A solar eclipse is when the moon is in the new moon phase and travels between the earth and the sun. As the moon moves between the earth and the sun, the shadow blocks all or a portion of the sun’s light resulting in the sky becoming increasingly dark. This is the first total solar eclipse to cross the country in 99 years. 

While the total phase of the eclipse will not be visible in Guilford County, experts predict that the sky in our area will appear as it does at dusk rather than the normal, mid-afternoon sunlight. Do not look at the partially eclipsed sun without special eclipse glasses or solar filters. It is unsafe to look directly at the sun and can cause severe damage to your eyes. 

Similarly, it is dangerous to look at the sun through the unfiltered lens of a camera, telescope, binoculars and any other optical devices. Do not look at the sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical devices while using eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewers as the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s) causing serious injury. 

If you have to be outdoors or if you must drive during the solar eclipse, you are encouraged to exercise caution. 

For additional information and directions on how to safely view the solar eclipse visit the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) website. 

The departments of Physics and Journalism and Mass Communication will travel to Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, to document the event. To preview the project and to find out what the excitement is all about, visit NCAggieTV.