Tennessee — Total solar eclipse of Aug 21, 2017, the Great American Eclipse

Tennessee — Total solar eclipse of Aug 21, 2017, the Great American Eclipse



Where will you be on Aug 21,2017? I'm planning to be somewhere in this yellow area watching the total eclipse!! Who's going, too?? This site has maps for ten prime locations from Washington State to South Carolina. Plan early!!!



But, keep your vision safe... use specially made eclipse glasses until the Ring of Fire appears, and put them back on before the Ring begins to not be a ring. Or, poke a hole in a computer circuit board and hold it over a piece of white paper and watch the shadow [you can safely observe sunspots this way].



Caution your children not to look at it! Don't even try regular sunglasses or smoked glass... these methods will not protect your vision. Be prepared to travel in case a cloud blocks your view. But even if clouds are there, animals around you will prepare to go to sleep and it will get dark for up to 2 mins 40 seconds, depending on how close you are to the center of the path.



The last one was in 1984 and the next one will be in 2024, so prepare now to see this celestial event! Don't say I didn't warn you. Best option is for a visit to a star party; there an astronomer will have a telescope set up and want to share his or her expertise on the subject. What a great educational experience!



Some parents will want to keep their kids indoors between one and three pm EST, but I think it is much better to train them and practice with them. Then, they can explain how to keep your eyes safe to all their friends. Think of the kids you know...in your apartment complex or subdivision...you could save someone's sight, just by spreading the word! Tell your teacher and library worker friends!!



Even if you feel it is better for your child to miss it indoors, please tell them why and ask them to warn their friends. Any of you who work with young folks, now is the time to start teaching them eye safety during a solar eclipse. Start now, teach often, and especially as August 2017 gets closer, never stop mentioning that you should never, never look at a solar eclipse with naked eyes.



I think kids, period, should only use the pinhole method and watch the shadow on paper. Enlist the help of a helpful adult for every child to make sure they don't peek. If you do this and your chosen adults are serious about keeping them safe, the kids can also enjoy the novelty of watching a solar eclipse safely.



As a former Girl Scout leader, I can tell you with early preparation, and often, kids will often surprise you as to how they can help keep themselves and others safe. I emphasized safety in every activity [and Girl Scout and Boy Scout leaders are equipped with manuals stating how many adults to what age kids is necessary for safety, and how to prepare kids to work with pocket knives, kitchen knives, and how to cook over open fires without cooking fingers or worse. If they can do this, they can keep themselves safe during an eclipse! Early preparation is key. If you are a fan of astronomy, or keeping kids' eyes safe, repost this on your social media. You might save someone's sight!