Source: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety
Looking directly at the sun is unsafe except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse (“totality”), when the moon entirely blocks the sun’s bright face, which will happen only within the narrow path of totality (https://go.nasa.gov/2pC0lhe (link is external)).
The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” (example shown at left) or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun; they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight. Refer to the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers (link is external) page for a list of manufacturers and authorized dealers of eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers verified to be compliant with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard for such products.
- Always inspect your solar filter before use; if scratched or damaged, discard it. Read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.
- Always supervise children using solar filters.
- Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the bright sun. After looking at the sun, turn away and remove your filter — do not remove it while looking at the sun.
- Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device.
- Similarly, do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury.
- Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device. Note that solar filters must be attached to the front of any telescope, binoculars, camera lens, or other optics.
If you are within the path of totality (https://go.nasa.gov/2pC0lhe (link is external)), remove your solar filter only when the moon completely covers the sun’s bright face and it suddenly gets quite dark. Experience totality, then, as soon as the bright sun begins to reappear, replace your solar viewer to look at the remaining partial phases.Outside the path of totality, you must always use a safe solar filter to view the sun directly.
If you normally wear eyeglasses, keep them on. Put your eclipse glasses on over them, or hold your handheld viewer in front of them.
Note: If your eclipse glasses or viewers are compliant with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard, you may look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun through them for as long as you wish. Furthermore, if the filters aren't scratched, punctured, or torn, you may reuse them indefinitely. Some glasses/viewers are printed with warnings stating that you shouldn't look through them for more than 3 minutes at a time and that you should discard them if they are more than 3 years old. Such warnings are outdated and do not apply to eclipse viewers compliant with the ISO 12312-2 standard adopted in 2015. To make sure you get (or got) your eclipse glasses/viewers from a supplier of ISO-compliant products, see the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers (link is external) page.
An alternative method for safe viewing of the partially eclipsed sun is pinhole projection (link is external). For example, cross the outstretched, slightly open fingers of one hand over the outstretched, slightly open fingers of the other, creating a waffle pattern. With your back to the sun, look at your hands’ shadow on the ground. The little spaces between your fingers will project a grid of small images on the ground, showing the sun as a crescent during the partial phases of the eclipse. Or just look at the shadow of a leafy tree during the partial eclipse; you'll see the ground dappled with crescent Suns projected by the tiny spaces between the leaves.
A solar eclipse is one of nature’s grandest spectacles. By following these simple rules, you can safely enjoy the view and be rewarded with memories to last a lifetime. More information:
This document does not constitute medical advice. Readers with questions should contact a qualified eye-care professional.
Yeah, THAT Eclipse Greenville, SC in the path of totality
Darkness is Coming
Source: http://www.visitgreenvillesc.com/eclipse/
Welcome to the Best Place to View the Eclipse:
YEAH, THAT GREENVILLE!
The Great American Eclipse is coming to "Yeah, THAT Greenville" on August, 21 2017 at 2:38 pm. This will be the first eclipse to touch the U.S. mainland since 1979 and the only total solar eclipse we'll see in Upstate SC this century! Greenville is one of only a few U.S. cities to be in the "path of totality," meaning we'll experience total darkness in the middle of the day! Cool, huh? All of that makes Greenville, SC, the city the Wall Street Journal calls "Dream Town, USA", the perfect place to view this once-in-a-lifetime event.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! Because the eclipse itself will occur on a Monday, you can spend the entire weekend beforehand exploring everything Greenville has to offer. With our award-winning downtown, more than 600 restaurants, fabulous retail shops, world-class collection of museums, galleries and theaters, and stunning natural scenery, the eclipse is a great way to cap off a memorable trip to one of the Southeast's fastest-growing destinations.
There are several eclipse events happening throughout Greenville. Keep checking back in on this page for updated event information.
The Roper Mountain Science Center will be hosting several events and activities in the weeks leading up to and the week of the eclipse, culminating in an Eclipse Extravanga (Monday's events are SOLD OUT).
*FUN FACT*
The Daniel Observatory at the Roper Mountain Science Center holds the 8th largest refractor telescope in North America. The lens is the same one used by Albert Einstein, and is sometimes referred to as the "War of the Worlds Telescope." Their newly-renovated planetarium (opening in February 2017) will have the largest capacity in South Carolina with 4K technology that will be playing special content leading up to the eclipse. Additionally, during the eclipse, RMSC is partnering with the California Academy of Sciences to study the reactions that animals and plants have to a total eclipse, so be sure to download the iNaturalist app and take part! Click here to learn more.
Visit the Roper Mountain Science Center website for more information on eclipse events and activities, resources, safe viewing information, and more.
The Greenville Drive will play West Virginia at 1pm on eclipse day. Game play will stop for the totality portion of the game and eclipse glasses will be provided upon entrance to the stadium.
Furman University will host a free viewing of the total solar eclipse at Paladin Stadium from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Events include streaming live coverage from NASA, narration by Furman scientists, educational activities, "Eclipse@Furman" viewing glasses, concessions and live music. "Eclipse@Furman" provides the perfect place for family and friends to view this historic event in our city. Visit the Furman University website for more information.
Bob Jones University is also hosting eclipse viewing events from 1-3pm that include hands-on science activities, telescopes with solar filters and informational talks by BJU science professors. They are also giving free eclipse glasses to all registrants. Visit the Bob Jones University Website to register or for more information on the BJU Eclipse Experience.
The Children's Museum of the Upstate will be having a "Total Solar Eclipse Party." This event is rain or shine and all activities are free with museum admission. Activities include story time for all ages, pinhole projectors, moon phase activities, live streams from NASA and the Smithsonian, Women in Astronomy activities in the Spark!Lab and more. Visit the TCMU website to learn more.
At NOMA Square, the "Eclipse over NOMA" party will be celebrating with tunes by Katie & Larry and a cash bar from 1-4pm. Click here for more details on their Facebook page.
Embassy Suites Greenville Golf Resort and Conference Center will be hosting an Eclipse Viewing Party on Verdae from 12-3pm. There will be a casual cookout, specialty drinks, family friendly activities, games & prizes and more! Click here for more details.
UP on the Roof will be hosting a Total Solar Eclipse Party from 11 am-3 pm. Tickets include entry to the rooftop, light savory bites and mini sweet treats, tunes by Kelly Jo & Buffaloe and viewing glasses. There will be a cash bar with drink specials and fun swag too! See theirFacebook page for more details on this rooftop soiree. (This event is now SOLD OUT)
The Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery is hosting the "Total Eclipse of the Sun" party from 1:39-3 pm. There will be lawn games, cafe specials (like Moon Pies), and more. Visit their Facebook event page for more information.
Ink N Ivy will be hosting their rooftop party from 12-3pm. They will be having live music, food and drink specials and live music by Spencer Rush. Visit their Facebook page for more details.
Mac's Speed Shop will be offering a kids eat free all day promotion in addition to giving out eclipse glasses and specials on Blue Moon and Southbound Scattered Sun Wit beers.
Stella's Southern Brasserie, not usually open on Mondays will be opening for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are also hosting a patio viewing party which includes eclipse glasses. See their flyer for more information.
City Scape Winery will have eclipse events from noon-5pm including live music, wine tastings, vineyard tours and even Pinot the Pig will be there! Visit their website for information.
Quest Brewing Company is hosting a "Standing on the Moon" party from 12-6pm with live music from Grateful Dead cover band Phuncle Sam. See the Facebook event page for more information
Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest will host a free adventure into the path of totality from 1-3:30pm. Activities include water fun courtesy of the TR Fire Department and live music. See their website for more details.
Table Rock State Park will be hosting activities all day from 8am-4pm on eclipse day. Details can be found on their website.
At Paris Mountain State Park, they are having an All American Solar Eclipse party from 1-4pm. See their website for details.
Lake Conestee Nature Park is celebrating the eclipse from 12-3:3:30. The Chuck Truck food truck will be there along with music, nature walks, bird viewing, eclipse talks and critters from Wildlife Rehab of Greenville. See their website for details. (This event is SOLD OUT)
Woodsite Park in Fountain Inn is having an "Area 44 Eclipse Party" from 1-4pm. Food vendors, games and much more are planned and free viewing glasses will be available. Check out their Facebook event page for more information.
Greer City Park is also hosting a viewing event. Entertainment includes the Gravity Check Jugglers and space-themed inflatables. There will be food trucks available and they will be giving eclipse glasses to the firs 1000 guests. See their Facebook event page for details.
Lights Out Mauldin at Sunset Park is a free event, but registration and a parking pass are required. Free eclipse glasses will be given out while they last, and Chuck FM will be onsite for entertainment. More details can be found on their Facebook event page.
Duke World of Energy is offering free public viewing on their front lawn.
HIS Radio is hosting a block party from 12:30-3:30 in the Jeff Lynch Parking lot. This is a free entry event and they will have eclipse glasses for the first 500 guests along with food vendors, games, giveaways, music and more. See their website for more details.
A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School of Engineering is a NASA-designated viewing site and will have family-friendly activities from 1:30-3pm. See their Facebook event page for more information.
Eclipse brings festive darkness as Upstate celebrates once-in-a-lifetime event
Source: http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2017/08/21/south-carolina-welcomes-solar-eclipse/585137001/Aug. 21, 2017
Watch as downtown Greenville goes dark as people watch the solar eclipse from Falls Park. STEVE BRUSS/News Director
A look at some of the sights and festivities in the Upstate during the total solar eclipse. Greenville News/Independent Mail photo staff
People traveled the world here – flocking to downtown Greenville, Furman, Bob Jones and Clemson universities, the Roper Mountain Science Center, the Upstate’s lakes and mountains and every other locale that found its way in the coast-to-coast path of totality for the Great American Solar Eclipse Monday afternoon.
In Falls Park, the clouds teased a bit but ultimately deferred to the dance of the moon and sun during the most-dynamic moments. It won't happen again in the Upstate until 2078.
The sting of the summer rays that led the collective of thousands to find shade or swim in the Reedy River faded as the eclipse dropped temperatures to a more dusk-like environment.
A little boy shouted out the minutes remaining until totality.
Everything turned a deeper shade of sepia-gray as each second passed and the street lights flickered on.
Faces tilted toward the sky, at first bespectacled with any variety of eclipse glasses.
Then, the shadow cast a few short minutes of darkness, revealing the planets in the sky and the otherworldly glow of the moon’s outer edges.
Cheers erupted.
And almost as soon as it came, the sun began its afternoon reign again.
The spectacle then was toward the ground, as the eclipsed sun shined on leaves that themselves cast an elliptical shadow.
Like that, rush hour began.
The buildup
Earlier in the day, as the sun rose for its part in the big show, people claimed their spots along the edge of the Reedy River, just above the falls.
Kyle and Anna Ariza began their five-hour trek to downtown Greenville at midnight – preparing for the worst on Interstate 85 but determined to get a prime viewing spot within view of the Liberty Bridge.
The two along with another pair ventured from Goldsboro, North Carolina, just outside Raleigh, and coasted easily on I-85.
The trip was planned on the fly, with the idea to travel hatched just last week.
They researched Charleston but found that forecasts called for too much cloud cover.
After watching a YouTube video on what downtown Greenville had to offer, Falls Park became their clear destination.
The park was also the preferred spot for a collection out-of-state media, including a Fox News weather personality broadcasting live dispatches to Fox & Friends.
The Upstate capitalized on the lead-up to the eclipse and on the day of, vendors hawked t-shirts and eclipse glasses on the streets and in the parks. At numerous events, lines formed to secure limited supplies of the eclipse frames and enterprising entrepreneurs sold bottled water.
"I've got my eclipse T-shirt, my Eclipse gum and my Eclipse cookies. I'm wearing silver shoes. Everything is eclipse. Yes, I'm excited," said Pat Howard, a Taylors resident and eclipse fan at Furman, where 15,000 gathered in the football stadium to watch.
By 1 p.m. the parking lot started to fill at Haywood Mall in Greenville. People put up tents and pulled out picnic baskets. By 2 p.m., the parking lot near the main entrance was packed. While some sought shade, others sat on their car trunks.
One car, where two men were sitting on the hood, played a soundtrack that ranged from Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" to the Star Wars theme.
Families from two different states traded cameras to take their photos, with their eclipse glasses on, of course.
The moment
From Greenville to Clemson to Columbia and finally to Charleston, the eclipse sped across South Carolina, creating a path of totality that awed crowds who gaped skyward.
"I've never been more aware of the fact that we're traveling through the cosmos on Spaceship Earth," said John Kirkland, who drove from Charlotte to Furman University to witness the eclipse.
The Sweeney family of Pendleton watched the eclipse from Fluor Field in total joy and awe. Ten-year-old Jeffrey Sweeney said, "It was awesome. It was like so dark and so cool."
Melissa and Andrew Sweeney brought their children, Jeffrey and Mary Anne, and Melissa's parents, Theresa and Woody Smith of Greenville.
"God is so great," said Theresa Smith. "My thought [about the eclipse] was 'how great thou art'.”
Greenville Drive fans sit in the outfield at Fluor Field at The West End when the game was paused for the solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017. (Photo: BART BOATWRIGHT/Staff)
The crowd at Roper Mountain Science Center, an official NASA viewing station for the eclipse, included visitors from France, England, California, New York, Connecticut and Ohio.
Men, women and children who were gathered at viewing areas on the campus began cheering as totality approached, the daylight fading as temperatures dropped more than 10 degrees. Many gasped in amazement as totality took over. The loudest exclamations were drawn by the diamond-like beam of light that shot through the moon's surface as totality ended.
More than 6,500 watched the eclipse at Bob Jones University with a full day of events, including STEM activities, and a viewing party at the university’s soccer stadium. Cheers went up as the last slivers of sunlight disappeared behind the moon and a video screen showed the sun and moon in eclipse.
At the State Museum in Columbia, a museum official counted down the totality as thousands standing or sitting in front donned their glasses and watched the "diamond ring" form on the outside.
Minutes before, the air turned cooler and a breeze filled the air.
As the last sunlight blinked out, the crowd roared, whooped, screamed and applauded as if celebrating New Year's.
Someone pointed out planets that had become visible, especially Jupiter.
One woman said she heard birds singing.
Two minutes later, a beam of sunlight escaped the moon and the announcer reminded everyone to put on their glasses again.
"That was amazing!" said Abby Avis of Westfield, N.J.
Overwhelmed
At the Greenville Zoo, Michael Barata Sr. came from Wells River, Vermont, with his wife, Heather, and daughter, Sophia.
The Baratas made a weekend of it -- "we made plans, bought T-shirts, geeked out," Michael Barata said -- and they'll head back Tuesday after a stop in Virginia Beach.
The eclipse lived up to the hype for thousands who travelled to see it. Amazing, unforgettable, breathtaking – all words used to describe it.
"I got goosebumps and everything," Barata said.
For 10-year-old Sahana Jakes of Atlanta, "it was what I expected, and much more."
Her dad, Ronnie Jakes, said the eclipse was a bit "like childbirth. People can tell you about it, but ‘til you experience it,’ you can't understand it.”
James Li, 12, convinced his parents to drive from New Jersey and helped plan the trip to Columbia.
"It was really great," Li said. "Probably in my entire life I will spend about four minutes looking at a total solar eclipse."
"We read a lot about it and kind of know what to expect but when it came it was indescribable," said Mia Li, James' mother. "There are no words that can fully describe what you experience."
Suhas and Poonam Prabhu traveled from India to stay with college friend Aruna Bapat, of Greer. The Prabhus have traveled the world to see solar eclipses. This was their sixth. The first was in India in 1980.
“I got hooked, the very first time I saw one. You have to see them,” said Suhas. “The diamond ring is very pretty, but the whole phenomenon is so awesome. It’s one of nature’s greatest spectacles.”
Suhas didn’t plan to take photos during totality. “We are not photographers. We want to experience, not take photographs. Some people get great photos, but I would rather see life by experiencing it than retrospectively looking at photographs.”
Carla Brundage of Madison, NJ looks up at the solar eclipse in Falls Park in downtown Greenville on Monday, August 21, 2017. (Photo: LAUREN PETRACCA/Staff)
John and Jeanette Preniczky drove from Arlington, Virginia, Sunday night and arrived in Clemson around 3 a.m. They slept in their car for a few hours before coming over to the field next to the Watt Center Monday morning to watch the eclipse at Clemson University.
“I just saw the little piece and I’m just getting so emotional,” Jeanette Preniczky said, moments after the moon had begun to move in front of the sun. “It’s just so humbling. It’s a very humbling experience.”
When the moon completely eclipsed the sun around 2:37 p.m., thousands gasped as the sky went dark. Hundreds of cell phone screens lit up like lighters as viewers raised their phones in hopes of capturing the moment, some people cheering as the darkness set in completely. The temperature dropped, sending a chill through the previously muggy air. Heads tilted toward the sky, taking in the phenomena South Carolina hasn’t seen in nearly a hundred years.
Eclipse eclipsed
For some, as the moment of the eclipse bore down, clouds blocked the view, creating momentary panic for some before the celestial lights reappeared and years-long regret for others once they didn’t.
Less than five minutes before the moment of totality, a gasp went from more than 4,000 people at Southern Wesleyan University in Central.
A cloud had trespassed in front of the sun and it became dark. It soon made way for the big show, the moment. A cheer erupted.
At Green Pond Landing, viewed beforehand as one of, if not the, prime site in the Upstate to view the eclipse, clouds obscured its view at the last moment.
Takayuki Takahashi of Tokyo, an MBA student at University of Massachusetts at Lowell said he encountered similar cloud cover when he traveled to Shanghai in 2009 for an eclipse.
"It's like revenge," he said, laughing. He said he will keep chasing eclipses. "There's one in 2024 in the United States. I will be back.”
Dennis and Debra Walker came from Hartford City, Indiana, to visit family and catch the eclipse.
"Obviously I'm disappointed that clouds came in at just the wrong time, but it was cool otherwise," Dennis Walker said.
Crickets started chirping, and the planets of Venus and Jupiter emerged from the gloom.
The Katta family of Atlanta provided comic relief, chanting "All hail the sun god," as cloud cover persisted.
Dotty McPherson of Tallahassee said she loved it.
"I didn't expect the stars to come out," she said.
McPherson was visiting family in Athens, Ga., over the weekend. They had to work today.
"I said, 'Sayonara!” she said. " I'm 72 -- this could be my last chance to see an eclipse!"
Doug and Angela Thompson of Cambridge, England, said they might be getting out of the business of eclipse chasing. A March 2015 total eclipse in Iceland that they went to see also got covered up by clouds.
Not a cloud had been in the sky back in Cambridge that day, they said.
Angela said she still had a great time.
"We wanted to be here with like-minded people," she said.
Traffic and trauma
In the weeks leading up to the eclipse, city officials prepared for traffic gridlock downtown, but even with thousands flocking to Falls Park at the same time the Greenville Drive hosted a home game and Greenville High School’s freshmen were released from school midday, people and cars flowed freely.
Greenville City Hall hosted a command center.
Police set up city dump trucks at the eastern entrance to Falls Park, an abundance of caution that Police Chief Ken Miller said was needed with incidents of drivers intentionally colliding with pedestrians in high-profile settings.
Greenville Police Chief Ken Miller stood outside City Hall dressed in full uniform, with his solar glasses in hand around 1:20 Monday afternoon.
“I do want to have the opportunity to catch a glimpse or two,” Miller said. “When the total eclipse occurs, I think people are going to be just in awe of that… it’s going to be quiet and most of us will be able to step out and take a look.”
Miller said 112 city police were patrolling the city and once the eclipse is over, police would be on hand controlling traffic.
“That’s not counting Simpsonville, Mauldin, Travelers Rest, Greer and Fountain Inn,” Miller said.
Still, gridlock reigned as soon as the eclipse finished. Interstate 385 South from Greenville became congested first, then Interstate 85 North all the way to Spartanburg and south from Anderson to the Georgia line. Multiple traffic wrecks tied up the roadways, closing all lanes of U.S. 25 for a time and creating traffic jams late into the afternoon.
Otherwise, emergency services personnel and healthcare officials reported few emergencies.
Greenville Health System emergency rooms had seen six people with injuries related to the solar eclipse as of early Monday evening. Five visits were for heat-related illnesses and one was from a fall, the health system said.
Scott Smith, emergency services director for Pickens County, said that although EMS had staffed up for the event, Monday was “actually a fairly quiet day.”
“There’s been nothing major,” he said. “Clemson went smoothly and Southern Wesleyan went smoothly as far as I heard went smoothly too. Just pretty good sized crowds.”
Table Rock State Park was closed because it reached capacity, he said, but otherwise went well. And Highway 11 was heavily traveled as well.
“I have not seen that much traffic up there for quite a while,” Smith said. “Everything seems to have gone rather smoothly.”
While there were a couple of scattered medical incidents, they weren’t related to the eclipse, he said. And there weren’t any eclipse related accidents either, he said.
Greenville County spokesman Bob Mihalic said EMS just dealt with “normal Monday stuff,” and nothing eclipse related.
The day of the eclipse became all about the event itself.
Josefa Trevino of Raleigh looks up at the solar eclips in downtown Greenville on Monday, August 21, 2017. "I'm 83 and this is my first time seeing one," she said. (Photo: LAUREN PETRACCA/Staff)
James Barbery, 39, came from Charlotte to set up his telescope on the edge of Greer City Park.
“Basically the entire Eastern Seaboard is here,” Barbery said shortly after 1 p.m. Monday.
The self-proclaimed astronomy buff spent the hours before the eclipse sharing some of his knowledge with strangers who stopped to take a look through his telescope.
Barbery chatted with a couple from Frederick, Maryland, and another from Naples, Florida. There was a family from Connecticut, another from New York.
About 2:33 p.m., six minutes before totality, sepia-colored light began to wash over Greer City Park. At least 3,000 people were momentarily quiet, and all eyes looked up.
“Oh my stars,” one woman said as she looked through Barbery’s telescope.
Then a great wave of applause rolled through the park. Streetlights switched on amid raucous cheering, and then it was twilight.
Here was the sun’s cornea. And here was what Barbery said he most wanted to see – a star adjacent to the sun that is only visible during a total eclipse.
This is the star that proved Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, Barberry explained.
“Science and physics -- to me -- they enhance the beauty around me,” he said.
Seeing the total eclipse made Barbery want to both laugh and cry. He said he wasn’t expecting the experience to be so emotional.
“This was just absolutely breathtaking,” he said.
Reported by Nathaniel Cary, Eric Connor, Paul Hyde, Liv Osby, Tim Smith, Anna Lee, Anna Mitchell, Georgie Silvarole, Mike Burns, Tesalon Felicien, Donna Walker, Angela Tuck, Elizabeth LaFleur, Mike Ellis.
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