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The Great American Solar Eclipse

Great American Solar Eclipse

Viewing the Solar Eclipse

How to View the Great American Eclipse Safely

On August 21, 2017, the United States will witness a rare event.  The moon will pass directly between the Sun and Earth blocking the Earth's view of the Sun.  Okeechobee County will not experience the "totality" of the eclipse like some parts of the United States, but we can expect about 82% coverage.

Safety is a high priority and concern for all of our students and teachers.  We want them as well as our community members to be aware of the safety concerns surrounding the eclipse.  Students, parents, teachers and community members should be aware that viewing any part of the eclipse with the naked eye without proper safety glasses can result in retinal damage without any experience of pain.  Professionals with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute recommend that no one look up at the sun during the eclipse unless they are wearing eclipse viewer glasses from a manufacturer that meets the recommended standards.

Because the sun will be only partially eclipsed by the moon here in South Florida, there is NO safe time to look at the sun with the naked eye. The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that ordinary sunglasses do not provide sufficient eye protection to directly view the sun during an eclipse. To safely view the eclipse, solar eclipse glasses or viewers made with special solar filters should be used. If viewing the eclipse through binoculars or a telescope special filters that block the dangerous rays of the sun should be used.   Children should be supervised when using solar filters or eclipse glasses.

Why a total solar eclipse is such a big deal

Overview of the shadow passing over the USA

Overview of the shadow passing over the USA

The Moon "scraping" its shadow across the Earth

Moon's shadow across the US

View of the shadow passing over the US

Shadow passing over the US