Get out of the office, see the eclipse

Enlarge (credit: NASA) Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that August 21 will treat much of the United States to a partial or total solar eclipse. The total eclipse will be visible along a path that stretches from the Oregon-Washington border to South Carolina. But even if you’re not on the path […]

Here’s exactly how much of the solar eclipse you’ll see where you live

NASA/Hinode/XRT On August 21st, the US is getting a total solar eclipse — when the moon crosses between the Earth and the sun, blocking out the sun’s light — for the first time in decades. But only a 70-mile-wide streak of the country will see the eclipse in its totality; others will see only a partial eclipse. […]

Less power to you: Solar eclipse ‘challenges’ California electricity grid

Californians are being advised to reduce electricity usage and unplug home electronics during the solar eclipse. But the state’s solar-based electricity grid is not expected to run out of energy as the phenomenon plays out. On Monday, August 21, the moon will block the sun for two minutes and 40 seconds, causing morning skies around […]

Here’s what happens to your retina if you view an eclipse without protection

Enlarge (credit: Getty | Ian Hitchcock ) Americans are making their last dashes for glasses and viewers to watch the rare total solar eclipse that will glide across the continental US on Monday. Meanwhile, eye doctors are trying to clear away any orbiting debris that’s obscuring vision safety information—and spotlight the dangers of unsafe viewing. Everyone […]

What looking at the solar eclipse without glasses could do to your eyes

Cathal McNaughton/Reuters Let’s get this out of the way: you cannot safely watch the solar eclipse without wearing protective glasses. If you aren’t wearing protective glasses, ultraviolet light from the sun can penetrate and be absorbed into your retina, where it can cause a condition that eye doctors call solar retinopathy. Many people are aware of […]