So you want to watch the eclipse?

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Dan LaMothe, M.D.
  • 22nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  A total solar eclipse will be visible to the base community Aug. 21, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.

The totality, when the moon totally covers the sun, is scheduled to pass directly over the Kansas City area at 1:09 p.m. This is a rare occurrence that occurs once every 375 years. It is very exciting, but it is vital to understand the dangers associated with watching the event.

There are ways to view the solar eclipse, but looking directly at the sun is not one of them. This can lead to permanent eye damage.

The eye is like a camera with a set of lenses that focus light onto the retina, which would represent the film in the camera. Focusing on an eclipse would be like using a magnifying glass to burn an ant. It focuses light energy directly onto a small section of the retina, burning it. The resulting injury is known as solar retinopathy. In order to protect your eyes from permanent damage and loss of vision, do not look at the sun to watch the eclipse, even with sunglasses, telescope or binoculars.

Safe ways to view the eclipse include using eclipse glasses or solar filters, which are made especially for enjoying an eclipse, or using a pinhole projector. There are numerous resources online describing how to construct a pinhole projector, but the key to watching any eclipse is to do so indirectly. Enjoy this rare occurrence safely.