We're merely a day away from the Solar Eclipse set to take centre stage on June 10th. Sky gazers across the world are probably teetering a the edge of their seats to witness this phenomenal celestial event. This is is no ordinary solar eclipse that has the star enthusiast quivering with anticipation. This year we have an annular solar eclipse - a cosmic phenomenon that occurs when the moon moves between the Sun and the Earth. In an annular solar eclipse, the Moon covers the centre of the Sun. This leaves the merely outer rim of the Sun perceptible to the human eyes. This event is also known as  Ring of Fire. While stargazing is a great hobby, fair warning people, do not gaze directly into the sun, lest you want t to be blinded for eternity.  So we think it's a great time to get a refresher course in the safe methods to increase your eclipse viewing pleasure. Here are a few safety tips to follow for observing the eclipse without rendering any permanent damage to your eyes.

    • This should be a no-brainer people. Do not look directly at the sun

    • Only use special-purpose solar filters that are certified for eclipse viewings, such as eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers. Do not DIY  homemade filters or use ordinary sunglasses, even if they are extremely tinted dark glasses.

    •  Do not look at the sun through a lens of a camera, telescope, binoculars or any other optical device because they can cause serious eye injury.

    • Do not use scratched or damaged solar filters. Always inspect them before use and discard them if they've been through the wringer.

    • If you're really into the DIY thing and do not have the time to purchase a solar filter, you can learn how to build a sun viewer through certifiable channels. Exploratorium provides tutorials on building Pinhole projection which is a safe way to view the sun indirectly. So get building and have a  safe viewing Folks.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 09, 2021 07:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).