Every statement and recommendation on this site regarding
viewing the eclipse is understood to contain the caveat that proper
precautions regarding eye safety will have been taken by the observer, and
that it is the observer's full responsibility to ensure that at no time
while any part of the sun's photosphere (disk) is visible, will they
observe it directly without suitable protective equipment, obtainable from
eclipse2017.org and reputable third parties also noted on this
site. Eclipse2017.org considers eye safety to be one of the most important aspects of successfully viewing a total eclipse, and understands the massive amount of misinformation that is out there regarding this critical subject. We also understand that governmental agencies, schools, and professional organizations universally adopt the most conservative approach possible when advising the public - namely, never to look at the sun, ever, under any circumstances, with any type of device, no matter what. Tempering that with the absolute fact that every day, solar astronomers successfully point their equipment at the sun and perform direct solar viewing without any harm to their eyes whatsoever, is a very difficult challenge. We will nevertheless make the attempt, because correct information and education is always the best course of action to follow in undertaking an exploration of any adventure in life. A total eclipse is one of those adventures, and so we will continue attempt to combat misinformation with facts. | IT IS NEVER SAFE TO LOOK AT THE SUN UNAIDED AT ANY TIME WHEN ANY PART OF ITS DISK IS VISIBLE. IT IS NEVER SAFE TO POINT ANY OPTICAL DEVICE (TELESCOPE, BINOCULARS, CAMERA, ANYTHING WITH A LENS OR MIRRORS IN IT) AT THE SUN WITHOUT SUITABLE SOLAR FILTERS. You will know if you have these, because you will have purchased them specifically for this purpose from a reputable scientific manufacturer of solar filter material. THERE ARE ITEMS MADE TO LOOK AT THE SUN THROUGH, THAT ARE SAFE - BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM AND USE THEM PROPERLY IN ORDER FOR YOUR EYES TO BE PROTECTED! DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN, AT ANY TIME, THROUGH ANYTHING THAT IS NOT MANUFACTURED AND MARKETED FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF DIRECT SOLAR VIEWING. WHEN THE SUN IS IN TOTAL ECLIPSE ONLY, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT - BECAUSE THE MOON IS COMPLETELY COVERING IT. FOR THIS TO APPLY TO YOU, YOU MUST BE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY (SITUATED WITHIN THE THIN STRIP OF EARTH THAT IS GETTING A TOTAL ECLIPSE), AND THE SUN MUST ACTUALLY BE TOTALLY ECLIPSED. THIS HAPPENS FOR NO MORE THAN TWO MINUTES OR SO DURING THE ENTIRE ECLIPSE, SO (A) YOU MUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY, AND (B) THE SUN MUST BE TOTALLY ECLIPSED, FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY OBSERVE IT DIRECTLY. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE STATEMENTS, AND AFTER STUDYING THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE AND OTHERS ON THE INTERNET YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT YOU CAN DETERMINE WHEN TO SAFELY VIEW THE ECLIPSE, THEN ECLIPSE2017.ORG RECOMMENDS YOU NOT ATTEMPT TO OBSERVE THE ECLIPSE! |
Having said all that, we must begin our journey with the following:
The responsibility for following all safety precautions in
using any suitable solar viewing equipment or methods, and in following proven safe viewing practices, lies solely
with the person who owns the eyes that are viewing the eclipse! Here is a link to a site that discusses eye safety, and
all of its recommendations should be followed. Here is another. Here is a wonderful page from none other than NASA (and Fred Espenak, "Mr. Eclipse"!). And here is an excellent piece (reproduced with permission)
written by Dr. Ralph Chou, a professor of Optometry and veteran
eclipse observer. But it is important to recognize and acknowledge
that you alone are responsible for the safety of your eyes. You alone are
responsible for 1) determining the suitability for use, 2) obtaining
sufficient training to achieve mastery in use, and 3) proper actual use of
any and all equipment employed for the preservation of your
eyesight.
The ONLY safe time to look at an eclipse with the naked
eye is during the TOTAL phase of a TOTAL eclipse. It is NEVER safe to look
at the partial phases of an eclipse without proper protection. If you
never look at the sun, you will not be blinded by it. But then, you would
have deprived yourself of the opportunity of seeing a total eclipse, which
can in fact be done quite safely with proper eye protection. If you choose
to stare at the sun, outside of the window of time that it is being
covered completely by the moon, and/or without proper equipment and
techniques to ensure your safety, then you will likely do damage to your
eyes. So don't do that.
The only way to safely look at the sun when it is not in
total eclipse is through approved filter material designed and marketed
expressly for direct solar viewing. If you do not have such material
(which is inexpensive and readily available, through astronomical supply houses and [very soon] right here at eclipse2017.org), then the only safe
way for you to observe the partial phases of the eclipse is by using
indirect methods such as projection.
The content of this site is
informational in nature, has been tested and found to be accurate in
actual use on numerous occasions, and is sufficient to ensure complete
safety when suggested practices are strictly followed. However, no one can
or should take responsibility for your actions, or your safety, except
you.
You must agree with the above statements in their entirety,
and you must agree to hold harmless Eclipse2017.org, inc., the authors of
this site, and of all sites linked to by it, for any and all damage caused
by your actions or inactions, to your person or the person of those under
your guardianship, in order to use the information contained on said sites
for any purpose.
|
