If you’re planning to view the solar eclipse this Monday, you’ll want to be safe.
Dr. David Craig, Professor of Astronomy at West Texas A&M University, says protecting your eyes is of the utmost importance when watching an eclipse.
“Anywhere outside [the region where a total solar eclipse occurs], no looking without proper filters,” says Dr. Craig, adding: “If you travel to a totality region, it is safe to look [at the eclipse without a filter], but ONLY during totality, and it ends quickly.” Viewing filters are available locally at some Walmarts and Best Buys, as well as some local libraries.
Dr. Craig was careful to note that eclipsers should NOT look through a pinhole at the event—the sun will still be too bright. If you don’t have a certified filter, use a projection where you can look at the image on a screen or surface. One final option, since there are a lot of welders on the High Plains: viewers can use a #14 welders’ filter.
