Solar Eclipse Viewing Tips

Everyone is buzzing with anticipation of the upcoming solar eclipse! We are really excited about taking in this rare event and watching together as a family. As we make our plans, I wanted to share some of the things that I have learned as I’ve been researching the best ways to enjoy a solar eclipse.

Protect yourself

One of the most important things to remember when viewing a solar eclipse is to protect your eyes from the rays of the sun. Looking directly into the sun can severely damage your eyes, so finding a safe way to view the eclipse is critical.

It seems that eclipse viewers are a dime a dozen on the internet at the moment, but some of these are not actually going to protect you from injury to your eyes. According to NASA, the best resource to locate solar eclipse viewers that are tested and certified to international standards is the recommendation list from the American Astronomical Society. Space.com also offers safety tips for viewing the solar eclipse.

If you have waited a bit too long to purchase glasses, NASA also offers suggestions for creating solar viewers and projectors that will help you to avoid looking directly into the sunlight with unprotected eyes.

Find a place to watch

Check out the interactive solar eclipse map on Vox to see the percentage of the solar eclipse that you will be able to see from your zipcode, a timeline for the progress of the eclipse in your area, and also how far you need to travel to view it in totality.

Find an open location with an unobstructed view of the sky and settle in with your safe viewing protection to see an amazing show. If you don’t want to watch alone, check out the solar eclipse event maps on the NASA website to find a variety of different events you can attend.

Do some pre-eclipse homework

Learning is a fun part of enjoying events like a solar eclipse. There are a variety of resources available to teach kids of all ages about the solar eclipse, how it happens, and why it is such an uncommon event to see. Here are a few of my favorites:

• PBS Learning Media Solar Eclipse Page
• KidsEclipse.com
• NASA’s What is an Eclipse? Page
• National Informal STEM Education Network
• Ducksters Astronomy for Kids

Have you made plans to view the eclipse with your family? How do you plan to take in this rare event?