Eclipse in Los Angeles, California, USA
Global Event: Total Solar Eclipse
Local Type: Partial Solar Eclipse, in Los Angeles
Begins: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 9:05 am
Maximum: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 10:21 am 0.69 Magnitude
Ends: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 11:44 am
Duration: 2 hours, 39 minutes
| Time | Phase | Direction | Altitude | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:05 amMon, Aug 21 | Partial Eclipse beginsThe Moon touches the Sun’s edge. |  98° |
33.4° |
|
| 10:21 amMon, Aug 21 | Maximum EclipseMoon is closest to the center of the Sun. | 112° |
48.4° |
|
| 11:44 amMon, Aug 21 | Partial Eclipse endsThe Moon leaves the Sun’s edge. | 139° |
62.5° |
Just FYI from a fellow parent at my kids school:
A few moms and I bought some eclipse glasses on Amazon weeks ago, only to receive a WARNING not to use them because of improper certification and protection.
Below is what my good friend, an eye doctor, has to say about viewing the eclipse:
“With the Solar Eclipse coming up, I’ve been getting a lot of questions and requests about solar eclipse glasses. I’ve been in practice for 10 years now, and as an Optometrist, I would advise you to take caution if you plan on looking at the solar eclipse. It only takes a few seconds of looking at the sun to cause Solar Retinopathy. You can have long term damage to your retina and vision. Please protect yourselves and your children. Make sure the solar eclipse glasses you plan on purchasing is from a reputable company and not a counterfeit pair. The safest way is to just view it on TV or the internet.”
Afshine Emrani
Dangers of Watching a Solar Eclipse
Watching a solar eclipse without proper eye protection can burn the macula (the center part of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue that lines the inside back wall of the eye, specially designed to read or recognize faces). When the moon completely blocks the sun at the minute of a total solar eclipse, dangerously, a person might look at the eclipse without protection and falsely believe that it is safe to view. However, within a few seconds, as the moon continues to move, bright sunlight suddenly might be focused on the unprotected macula. Even a few seconds of such viewing can temporarily or permanently burn the center of the retina. Once retina tissue is destroyed, like brain tissue, it cannot regenerate, resulting in permanent central vision loss.
Safe Ways to Watch a Solar Eclipse
Never view the sun or a total solar eclipse with the naked eye or by looking through optical devices such as binoculars, telescopes, or a cell phone camera. Sunglasses alone also are not safe. Some safe ways to view an eclipse include the following:
Direct viewing through shade No. 14 welder’s glasses: available at welding supply stores and online
Direct viewing through aluminized Mylar filters:Aluminized Mylar plastic sheets are available as eclipse vision but should be used only if totally intact, without any scratches.
Pinhole projector: Make a pinhole in a piece of cardboard and hold it in front of the sun just before the eclipse. With your back to the sun, focus the light going through the pinhole onto another piece of cardboard behind the pinhole so that you see the sunlight focused onto the second piece of cardboard. As the eclipse occurs, you can see the focused sunlight become blocked by a dark circle (the shadow of the moon). Look only at the image on the paper.
