2015 Total Solar Eclipse: How To Watch Friday’s Rare Occurrence Without Hurting Your Eyes
Get ready for a rare occurrence, as a total solar eclipse is going to happen on Friday, March 20, 2015. The moon will indeed completely cover the disk of the sun and create a total solar eclipse for the first time in almost two years.
Unfortunately, only a small portion of the world will be able to see it, according to Space.com, but people still need to know how to view it. Chances are there will be some amazing pictures posted online, and those in Europe need to be ready for it.
The total solar eclipse of 2015 is going to happen primarily over the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, beginning off the southern tip of Greenland. It will then begin to wind its way counterclockwise to the northeast, passing between Iceland and the United Kingdom.
As you can see, those in Europe will be able to enjoy it, but not many others. Well, those in space may be able to see it.
What does a #SolarEclipse look like from space? This @eumetsat animation shows the 1999 eclipse http://t.co/rMqZipoqpv
— Met Office (@metoffice) March 18, 2015
If you’re able to watch the total solar eclipse in person, you must follow a few simple rules because watching it without protective eye-ware could cause permanent damage or even total blindness. Don’t risk it.
Learning-Mind reports that the last stop will be north of the Faroe Islands at a Norwegian Archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. An island known as Barentsberg on Spitsbergen will actually have a full two minutes and 20 seconds of the total solar eclipse at 10:11 GMT.
Even if you have the right protection for your eyes, a person should never stare directly at the total solar eclipse or even at the sun at all. Regular sunglasses aren’t going to really help you at all with seeing the eclipse, and honestly, you truly shouldn’t ever really look at it.
There will be options to watch it happening live online, and one of the best ways is to check out the Slooh Community Observatory. Beginning at 4:30 a.m. EDT, a broadcast of the total solar eclipse will happen, and you’ll be able to check it out without worrying about eye damage.
Beginning at 4 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT), there will also be viewings on the Virtual Telescope Project, and those views are always incredibly amazing.
The 2015 total solar eclipse is something that is rare, amazing, and beautiful, but also something that isn’t necessarily safe for the vision of a human being. Luckily, the wonderful world of the internet allows for this fantastic occurrence to be viewed from a safe distance.
[Image via Learning-Mind]
