Solar Eclipse Aug. 21, 2017: Americans Urged to Wear Eclipse Glasses

By Vianne Ilagan, Christian Post Contributor Monday, August 21, 2017

People in North America will get to witness a total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. The last time that this phenomenon occurred was 99 years ago. And now, around 14 states in the United States will experience total darkness while the moon passes right in front of the sun.

The total solar eclipse happening on Aug. 21 is dubbed as the Great American Eclipse. During this once-in-a-lifetime moment, the sun, moon and planet Earth will be aligned, causing darkness to envelop some of the Earth's surface. Around 12 million Americans in the affected areas are expected to witness this special occurrence.

According to reports, the spectacular moment will be witnessed from the Pacific Ocean all the way through the Atlantic Ocean starting at 17:05 BST (13:05 EDT). A total of 14 states throughout the U.S. will experience total darkness for a span of more than two minutes when the alignment happens, while the rest will only get to see a partial eclipse.

In the United Kingdom, people will only be able to see a partial eclipse, when the moon starts to cover a portion of the sun sometime during the evening. Other parts of the world that will get to experience partial eclipse are South America, Africa and Europe.

Meanwhile, authorities warn the public who will be affected by the Great American Eclipse to protect their eyes when the phenomenon sets in. People who want to witness the eclipse should reportedly wear their eclipse glasses. However, they should first be certain that their glasses strictly comply with the safety guidelines set by the government.

The American Astronomical Society states that only solar eclipse glasses that are labelled with ISO 12312-2 are considered safe, because this mark is evidence that the glasses meet international safety standards.

The path of the eclipse goes from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.