Clarkson University’s Main Campus is on the Path of Totality for the Solar Eclipse! Per earlier announcements, classes on the Potsdam campus on Monday, April 8, 2024 are cancelled after 1pm to celebrate the full eclipse with food, games and more will on the Student Center Lawn that afternoon. We want everyone to be prepared to view the eclipse safely and are sharing some pointers below. We have a limited supply of glasses and know many of you have already acquired them. Clarkson.edu/live will also be broadcasting from our Observatory!
- Do not look directly at the sun during the eclipse.
- If your eyes are exposed to the sun without the appropriate protection, it can cause eclipse blindness or solar retinopathy, which can result in temporarily or permanently vision impairment or blindness.
- The only safe way to view a solar eclipse without harming your eyes is by using ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015) certified eclipse glasses or handheld viewers from a trusted source.
- There are many places selling counterfeit eclipse glasses. Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that the seller is on the American Astronomical Society’s list of verified vendors and websites selling proper light-filtering eclipse glasses and handheld viewers.
- Improvised or makeshift solutions such as ordinary sunglasses (or multiple pairs of sunglasses), smoked glass, exposed film negatives, or neutral density or polarizing filters (such as those made for camera lenses) are not a safe alternative to these specially designed filters and will not protect your eyes.
- Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use. If torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, they should be discarded. Do not use them.
- Do not use eclipse glasses or handheld viewers with cameras, binoculars, or telescopes. Those require different types of solar filters.
Sources: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/, https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/iso-certification, https://www.in.gov/dhs/solar-eclipse-2024/files/TSE24-Eye-Protection.pdf
Erica Arnold
Environmental Health & Safety Manager