Please Don’t Take a Selfie with the Solar Eclipse Today
One of the most anticipated events of 2017 is finally here, the total solar eclipse.
If you were one of the lucky ones who got their hands on a pair of solar eclipse glasses, please consider sharing; because here's what I don't want to happen- for your friends who don't have the glasses to go blind.
Yes, it's common sense to not look directly at the sun during a solar eclipse, but we all have that one friend that won't heed the warning and try to look anyway. They might even be doing something as harmless as taking a selfie with the eclipse in the background, which is a huge no-no.
If you see someone attempting to take a selfie, without wearing the proper eye protection, you should try to take their phone away ASAP. It might seem like a fun alternative, but just because you're not looking directly at the sun, doesn't make it safe.
According to the Columbia University Medical Center, "the screen of your phone reflects the ultraviolet rays emitted during an eclipse directly toward your eye, which can result in a solar burn.”
As for me, without viewing glasses and news of a cloudy forecast, I'll be watching the eclipse on line...or just wait for all the professional photos to flood the internet later this afternoon.