Thousands of years ago, the sight of an eclipse in the sky was one that could inspire fear to people who lived in many parts of the world. Without the comfort of scientific research and explanations, they had no way of knowing for sure why this was happening. The life giving sun was being ominously blocked out by the black moon, turning the light of day into dusk, creating eerie shadows and causing even the birds to cease their singing until the sun came out from behind the moon once more. While a solar eclipse is a beautiful sight, it also had the ability to create feelings of dread as people wondered if this was a foreboding omen from on high. As we started to understand more about the universe around us, the tradition that rare heavenly sights such as a comet or eclipse was a warning of disaster to come dwindled away into wonder and appreciation at these amazing phenomena that have been proven to be natural, instead of supernatural. When viewing the eclipse, make sure to practice eclipse safety to protect your vision.
What Happens During A Solar Eclipse?
A solar eclipse is an incredible sight that we here on Earth are actually extremely lucky to be able to see. The Moon and Sun appear to be about the same size, due to their sizes, and distance from Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Moon and Sun are all aligned just right so that the moon overshadows and passes in front of the sun in the sky. The moon will appear as a black circle, moving progressively over the sun until all you can see of the sun is the white corona flaring up in a ring around the black moon.
The Importance Of Knowing Proper Eclipse Safety
Being aware of what comprises eclipse safety is absolutely essential. You know that you should never stare directly at the sun, because doing this can cause permanent damage to your eyes. You also should not watch the solar eclipse in August 2017 without wearing a special pair of eclipse glasses. Your pair of glasses needs to be ISO and CE certified, in order to completely block out and protect your eyes from ultraviolet and infrared rays from the sun, as well as the intense and blinding brightness. In August 2017, a gorgeous solar eclipse will be visible in the United States for the first time since the late ‘70s, so make sure you and your friends and family can get out and witness this phenomenon in complete safety. Eclipse safety is very important, so make sure that you have the right eye protection.
