The Great American Eclipse听is coming up Monday, Aug. 21. Here's what you need to know to safely enjoy 2017's most highly anticipated celestial event.
Protect your eyes
The sun on eclipse day is the same as any other day鈥攏ot more dangerous but not less. You can't stare at the sun without hurting your eyes, and this is true when only a small part of the sun is visible.
To watch the partial eclipse you need to protect your eyes with special, very dark听eclipse-viewing glasses.听These are not sunglasses. They are 1,000 times darker than sunglasses. Unfortunately, eclipse glasses are sold out at campus locations听and many stores in the Boulder area.
You can also to safely view the eclipse.
Inspect your gear
Always inspect your safety glasses or hand-held solar viewers听before use, and discard if scratched, damaged or expired. Make sure your solar filters meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard, and always supervise children using such products.
Put down the camera
Do not use an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device鈥攅ven while wearing your eclipse glasses. The concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eyes, causing serious injury.听
Additionally, unless you have听attached a neutral-density filter to your camera or smartphone, avoid photographing the eclipse.听Camera sensors can be damaged if pointed toward the sun.
Where to watch?
If you'll be staying in Boulder for the event, the partial eclipse will begin around 10:23 a.m. and end around 1:13 p.m. The maximum eclipse will听take听place around 11:46 a.m.
For more information and safety tips on the upcoming eclipse, .
Obviously the best place to view the eclipse is along the path of totality, but the second-best place to watch is from anywhere with an open sky, such as the University Memorial Center's fifth-floor terrace. Admission to the is free, and the event is kid friendly.
The Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences will lead a small team using several solar telescopes to observe the eclipse on the lawn outside of Fiske Planetarium, which will be closed on Aug. 21. There is very limited space for the public, but media are welcome to attend.
You can also online.
