Safety tips for the Great American Solar Eclipse
Protect your eyes with proper eclipse glasses

[August 19, 2017]  LINCOLN - On Monday, August 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible across the entire United States. Starting shortly before noon and lasting until approximately 2:45 p.m. central time, people in Illinois can see the moon pass in front of the sun. As the moon’s shadow begins to block the sun’s light, parts of the sun’s fiery disk will continue to be visible, and can literally burn any eyes directed at it. At no point during the eclipse will residents in Logan County be able to view the solar eclipse without special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewers.

“Looking at the sun without eclipse glasses or solar viewers can cause ‘eclipse blindness’ or retinal burns,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D.

“Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun.”

A number of manufacturers have certified that their eclipse glasses and handheld viewers meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard for such products. More information about eclipse glasses and solar viewers can be found under resources on the American Astronomical Society website at https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters.

Find also a list of reputable retailers, including those in the Logan County area.

Source: Illinois Department of Public Health

[Don Cavi, MS, LEHP
Public Health Administrator
Logan County Department of Public Health]