When it comes to eclipse viewing safety, UT Dallas’ Dr. Mary Urquhart has been a go-to information source this month—she was recently interviewed by City Communications staff, appeared on a local eclipse discussion panel moderated by The Dallas Morning News, and is scheduled to appear on CNN Online Monday. A planetary scientist, associate professor and department head, Urquhart has the following tips for using “eclipse glasses” to view the eclipse, and what to do if you don’t have any:
- You need special glasses to look at the partial eclipse, when the sun is only partially covered, so that you don’t damage your eyes. You do not need glasses for the total eclipse, when the moon blocks the sun, so pay attention to the timing (totality will begin at 1:40 p.m. and end at 1:44 p.m., with the partial eclipse visible from 12:23-1:40 p.m. and 1:44-3:02 p.m.). Eclipse glasses should have the rating ISO 12312-2 to properly protect your eyes.
- Instead of looking at the sky, you can use a variety of indirect methods to watch the moon’s movement across the sun via shadows cast on the ground—for example, you can hold a colander so that light can pass through its holes.
Note that if you’re snapping photographs during the eclipse, cameras/phones will not protect your eyes—solar filters must be attached to the front of any camera lens, telescope, binoculars, and other optical devices.
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