On Monday, August 21st, 2017 a solar eclipse will be seen across North America. The moon will cover at least part of the sun for 2 – 3 hours. Halfway through the event, anyone within a roughly 70-mile wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a brief total eclipse lasting about 2 minutes and 40 seconds, turning day into night.
Since the bay area is about 500 miles away from Oregon, we will see at most about 75 percent of the sun covered. This will occur at 10:15 a.m. and last about 2 minutes.
Here are tips on how to watch the eclipse safely
Always inspect your solar filter before use. If it is punctured, scratched, or torn, discard it.
Use approved solar eclipse viewers. The viewers need to meet international standard ISO 12312-2 for safe viewing. Sunglasses, smoked glasses, unfiltered telescopes or magnifiers, and polarizing filters are UNSAFE.
Before looking at the sun, cover your eyes with the eclipse viewers while standing still. Glance at the sun, turn away and remove your filter. Do not remove the filter while looking at the sun.
Do not look at the sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars or ANY other optical device while using your eclipse glasses; the concentrated solar rays could damage the filter and enter your eyes causing serious injury.
Always supervise children using solar filters.
Visit your doctor of optometry should you experience discomfort or vision problems following the eclipse. If you have any questions please call us at 925-743-1222 for more information.
Retail Chains that carry eclipse glasses
- 7-Eleven
- Best Buy
- Bi-Mart
- Casy’s General Store
- Hobby Town
- Kirklands
- Kroger
- Lowe’s
- Maverik
- Pilot/Flying J
- Toys “R” Us
- Walmart
Click on the link below to follow the path of the eclipse in the bay area.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/11/heres-what-the-solar-eclipse-will-look-like-in-the-bay-area/
View the video below by the American Optometric Association on how to view the eclipse safely.
