On August 21st 2017, the continental United States will experience a total solar eclipse. Eclipses occur all the time, in fact the last partial solar eclipse over the U S took place in June of 2011. The last time a total eclipse occurred crossing over the U S, from coast to coast, was in 1918.This particular total eclipse is generating a lot of excitement and expectation, because millions of people will be able to view it as it passes over 10 states.
Everyone in the contiguous U S will be able to view at least a partial eclipse. People who live in a 70 mile wide zone called the "path of totality," will be able to watch the moon totally block out the sun for a period of up to 2 minutes and 40 seconds. The "path of totality," stretches across 10 states that include Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Eclipse watching experts are warning those wishing to view the eclipse to not look directly into the sun. Doing so will cause irreparable damage to your retina, or optic nerve. NASA is urging those planning to view the eclipse to purchase a pair of total eclipse viewing glasses. They say that you should make sure that the glasses are ISO certified for safety. If you don't have or are unable to purchase a pair of glasses, you can still do so by the projection method.
Simply take a piece of paper and a piece of cardboard. Make a pin hole in the center of the paper. With you back to the sun, hold the paper so the sun light shines through the hole and onto the cardboard while you adjust the distance between the paper and the cardboard, until the eclipse is clearly visible.
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